Give an example from daily life which shows that the celcius temperature scale is not an absolute temperature scale.
To understand why the Celsius temperature scale is not an absolute temperature scale, let's start by defining what an absolute temperature scale is. An absolute temperature scale, such as the Kelvin scale, assigns a numerical value to a temperature relative to absolute zero, which is the lowest possible temperature where all molecular motion ceases.
Now, for an example from daily life that highlights that the Celsius scale is not an absolute temperature scale:
Consider boiling water. In Celsius, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. However, if you were to climb a mountain or go to a location at higher altitude, the boiling point of water would be lower than 100 degrees Celsius. This is because the boiling point of any substance is influenced by atmospheric pressure. As you go higher in altitude, the air pressure decreases, which affects the boiling point of water. So, even though the Celsius scale assigns a specific numerical value to the boiling point of water, it varies based on altitude or atmospheric pressure, indicating that Celsius is not an absolute temperature scale.
To further highlight this point, we can look at the Kelvin scale. On the Kelvin scale, which is an absolute temperature scale, the boiling point of water is always 373.15 Kelvin, regardless of altitude or atmospheric pressure. This demonstrates the difference between an absolute temperature scale (Kelvin) and a scale that is influenced by external factors like Celsius.
In summary, the example of the variation in the boiling point of water at different altitudes showcases that the Celsius temperature scale is not an absolute temperature scale, as it is influenced by factors other than just temperature itself, such as atmospheric pressure.