Message-Id: <v01540b10b12df1a1a840@[192.174.2.173]>
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 12:10:28 -0800
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: pauld@exploratorium.edu (Paul Doherty)
Subject: temperature
>From: Jmgoldberg <Jmgoldberg@aol.com>
>Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 23:22:11 EST
>To: pauld@exploratorium.edu
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Subject: temperature
>
>Hi Paul,
>I know temperature to be an measure of the average kinetic energy of the
>particles that make up a substance. With a monatomic gas, piece of
>cake--translational KE. How about a di/polyatomic gas? How do all modes of
>motion (translational, rotational, vibrational) get in the act? What is
>temperature a measure of when it comes to solids and liquids? And how about
>the cosmic microwave background temperature of 2.7 Kelvins: is there stuff
>out there that is at the same temperature and therefore at thermal
>equilibrium? Is there any matter in space colder than 2.7 K ? Should I ask
>about negative Kelvins now?
>Jay Goldberg
>