Convert Wedgwood to Kelvin easily.

Ever wondered how 18th-century potters measured kiln heat without modern thermometers? That's where the Wedgwood scale comes in. While you won’t find it in your physics textbook today, converting Wedgwood to Kelvin connects historical craftsmanship with contemporary science. Let’s explore this quirky temperature unit and its modern counterpart.

Unit definitions

What is a Wedgwood (°W)?

• Description: An obsolete temperature scale based on clay shrinkage
• Symbol: °W
• Common uses: Ceramics, pottery kilns, historical industrial processes
• Definition: 1°W equals 1350°C above room temperature (approximately 20°C)

What is a Kelvin (K)?

• Description: SI base unit for thermodynamic temperature
• Symbol: K
• Common uses: Scientific research, astronomy, physics
• Definition: 1 K = 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of water’s triple point

Conversion formula

The mathematical relationship between these units is: K = (°W × 1350) + 273.15

Example calculations

1. Converting 5°W to Kelvin: 5 × 1350 = 6750°C 6750 + 273.15 = 7023.15 K
2. Converting 10,000 K to Wedgwood: 10,000 - 273.15 = 9726.85°C 9726.85 ÷ 1350 ≈ 7.21°W

Conversion tables

Wedgwood to Kelvin

Kelvin to Wedgwood

From pottery kilns to absolute zero

The Wedgwood scale’s story begins in 1782, when Josiah Wedgwood needed reliable temperature measurements for his ceramic glazes. His solution? Small clay cylinders that shrank predictably at specific heats. Each "degree" represented the temperature needed to shrink a sample by 1/240 of its original size. While revolutionary for its time, the scale had quirks. For instance, it couldn’t measure below red heat (about 600°C), limiting its utility.

Kelvin’s development in 1848 offered what Wedgwood lacked, an absolute scale grounded in thermodynamic principles. William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) based his system on the complete absence of thermal motion, creating a universal standard that’s still essential in cryogenics and space research today. The transition from artisanal methods to scientific precision mirrors industry’s broader shift during the Industrial Revolution.

Interesting facts

1. Wedgwood’s clay pellets were essentially early pyrometric devices
2. The scale’s upper limit was 32°W (≈43,000°C), far beyond practical use
3. Modern recreation shows ±5% accuracy compared to digital pyrometers
4. Kelvin is used to define color temperatures in LED lighting
5. Absolute zero (0 K) remains theoretically unattainable

FAQ