temperature

[matt76]

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

[rojash]

What, you don't know how to multiply 2 x 0 ?

[matt76]

Poor answer. shame on you for being to black and white.

[marmaduke]

Why not put it in fahrenheit?

[peanut]

rojae, the temp does fall below zero, so your 2x0 is not quite right. I dont know the answer either (if there is one) but i know 2x0 is not it.  :0)

[kempie]

Well, if we say twice as cold means half as hot, the temperature would be  -136.575 �C  since Absolute Zero (or 0 �Kelvin) equates to  -273.15 �C.

Better wrap up.

[rojash]

peanut, I think it comes down to how you define "twice as cold" and the context in which it's being used.

matt76 specifically mentioned zero as the current temp., and it's difficult to think of a "normal" situation in which you'd say "twice as cold as zero". This would seem to be an artificial construct designed to make a paradoxical-seeming question.

By the way, , you spelt my name wrong! It's not rojae, its roj� - see here:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Phrases-and-Sayings/Quest ion96368.html

[rojash]

Something wrong with your logic there, kempie. -136.575 �C would be half as cold (or twice as warm) as -273.15 �C

[kempie]

Correct...  but we were talking about 0 �C.

It's easier to use Kelvin.  Here's a table of increasing temperature:

0 �K  =  -273.15 �C 

136.575 �K  =  -136.575 �C

273.15 �K  =  0 �C

therefore half the temperature of 0 �C is -136.575 �C.

[NetSquirrel]

Kempie means that -136.575�C is half as warm as 0�C.  (The same as saying that 136.575K is half as warm as 273.150K.)

[NetSquirrel]

Oops - I should have refreshed the page before posting.

[peanut]

sorry roj?? these darn american keyboards

[vikramdave1]

 

Firstly the wind-chill factor may account for the temperature "feeling" twice as cold as 0 degrees as the added wind may cause temperature to feel lower than zero.It could possibly mean that twice as cold on the number line would logically be -2 degrees even if it is incorrect in arithmetic terms.

[Hammer]

Depends where you define your zero. If you define 'normal' temperature as room temparture, or 20 deg, then twice as cold as 0 would be -20

[brachiopod]

Hammer has hit the nail on the head, (pun intended), in that both �C and �F scales are arbitrary scales, and as such, the terms "twice as hot" or "half as cold" don't have any meaning. ie 10 �C is not 'twice as hot' as 5 �C.

The only correct way to approach this question is to use a scale based on absolute zero, (as per kempie, rojash, & squirrel's answers), and, since 'cold' is a lack of heat, not an entity in itself, make all references with respect to heat. (ie half as warm, twice as warm etc)

[landie]

It depends where you started from perhaps?

If it was 5 degrees yesterday and 0 degrees today then it would be minus 5 degrees tomorrow.

Alternatively if it was 10 degrees yesterday and 0 degrees today then it would be minus 10 degrees tomorrow.

[vikramdave1]

Hammer has not hit the nail on the head 0 degrees is a universal mark of temperature, not the temperature in my room. The answer to this problem is simple as i have already stated lets not use a sledge hammer to crack a nut (pun intended)

[vikramdave1]

Hammer has not hit the nail on the head. 0 degrees c is a universal mark of temperature, not the temperature in my room. The answer to this problem is simple, as I have already stated. Lets not use a sledgehammer to crack a nut ( pun intended )