Difficult question

[Mud]

You pose a very interesting question. What is the temperature if it's
twice as cold as zero degrees? The Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature
scales are "relative" temperature scales, in that they are both
relative to a couple of specific temperatures, namely the freezing and
boiling points of water.

Let's make your question a little more specific: "What is the
temperature if it's twice as warm as 0 degrees Celsius (the freezing
point of water)?" To answer this question we need to convert this
Celsius temperature to an "absolute" temperature scale, a scale with
no negative temperatures. We'll use the Kelvin scale.

0 degrees Kelvin is the point at which all motion in matter stops; it
is known as "absolute zero." No temperature can exist that is lower
than 0 degrees Kelvin. The formula to convert from Celsius to Kelvin
temperature is K = C + 273.15, where K is the Kelvin temperature and C
is the Celsius temperature. So 0 degrees Celsius is equal to 273.15
degrees Kelvin. We can double this number to get 546.30, the
temperature that is twice as warm as 0 degrees Celsius. We can then
subtract 273.15 from our answer to convert it back to the Celsius
scale.

The temperature is 273.15 degrees Celsius when it is twice as warm as
0 degrees Celsius.

Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?


-Mud