Editing Talk:2292: Thermometer

Randall, as a physicist, should know about the equipartition theorem. It states that all degrees of freedom will carry the same average amount of energy in thermal equilibrium, not only the translational kinetic ones (but also rotational, and potential energies). It is technically not false to exclude some of these, but an arbitrary choice. I guess he just wanted to include the terms “translational” and “kinetic” to make sure it sounds ridiculously over-specific (which works well). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.213|162.158.91.213]] 15:07, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

Randall, as a physicist, should know about the equipartition theorem. It states that all degrees of freedom will carry the same average amount of energy in thermal equilibrium, not only the translational kinetic ones (but also rotational, and potential energies). It is technically not false to exclude some of these, but an arbitrary choice. I guess he just wanted to include the terms “translational” and “kinetic” to make sure it sounds ridiculously over-specific (which works well). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.213|162.158.91.213]] 15:07, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

:No, it's still an important distinction. Many Thermometers can only 'measure' the average Translational energy and the rotational and elastic energy is just assumed to match that. (The only Thermometers that measure rotational and elastic Energy are the ones who only measure their own temperature... which is 99.5 of all consumer Thermometers.) And it probably does except in some very specific cases with ultra high speed pressure changes.

:No, it's still an important distinction. Many Thermometers can only 'measure' the average Translational energy and the rotational and elastic energy is just assumed to match that. (The only Thermometers that measure rotational and elastic Energy are the ones who only measure their own temperature... which is 99.5 of all consumer Thermometers.) And it probably does except in some very specific cases with ultra high speed pressure changes.

+Using the average Translational Energy would would sidestep all the problems with the different units of temperature and would also eliminate the necessity of using the Boltzmann constant, simplyfying a lot of physics. But nobody wants to make the transition since most everyday temperatures would be between 5 and 8zJ, with 5 being freezing, six being tolerable and seven a desert at noon. The Unit, Zeejays would sound cool though.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.70|162.158.92.70]] 09:30, 13 April 2020 (UTC)

+Using the average Translational Energy would would sidestep all the problems with the different units of temperature and would also eliminate the necessity of using the Boltzmann constant, simplyfying a lot of physics. But nobody wants to make the transition since most everyday temperatures would be between 5 and 8zJ, with 5 being freezing, six being tolerable and seven a desert at noon. The Unit, Zeejays would sound cool though.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.70|162.158.92.70]] 09:30, 13 April 2020 (UTC)

:Alternatively, use molar mean disordered translational kinetic energy per mole, making the numbers nicer by a factor of Avogadro's number, and bringing the scale to 2-3kJ/mol. Or add in a factor of 1.5 as well to make the gas K.E. formula simpler. [[User:Sqek|Sqek]] ([[User talk:Sqek|talk]]) 10:27, 13 April 2020 (UTC)

:Alternatively, use molar mean disordered translational kinetic energy per mole, making the numbers nicer by a factor of Avogadro's number, and bringing the scale to 2-3kJ/mol. Or add in a factor of 1.5 as well to make the gas K.E. formula simpler. [[User:Sqek|Sqek]] ([[User talk:Sqek|talk]]) 10:27, 13 April 2020 (UTC)

Well, it has Fahrenheit after a fashion. Just substract 460 from Rankine. It's even easier than converting Kelvin to Celsius!

Well, it has Fahrenheit after a fashion. Just substract 460 from Rankine. It's even easier than converting Kelvin to Celsius!