Temperate a scalar than why negative temperature?

In summary, negative temperatures can occur because scalars, unlike vectors, can have negative values. This is similar to how money in a bank account can be negative. While distance, a scalar, cannot be negative, displacement, a vector, can have a negative magnitude. This means finishing at a position behind where one started. The reason distance is always positive is due to the physical nature of space, not the scalar property. In higher dimensions, a position coordinate can be positive or negative, as it is a scalar.
  • #1
GreenPrint
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What's the meaning of negative temperature if temperature can only be a scalar? Why the construction of negative temperature in degrees Fahrenheit?
 
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  • #2
You get negative temperatures because it is possible to get things that are colder than the particular mix of frozen brine Fahrenheit used to set the zero for his scale.

Scalars are allowed to have any value - including negative ones.
It just means it is not a vector: it has no direction component.

The money in your bank account is also a scalar, and that can be negative too.

You are thinking of how distance, a scalar, cannot be negative ... unless you introduce direction.
However, displacement is a vector. It's magnitude is a scalar, and it's magnitude can be negative.
We just realize that a negative displacement means you finished at a position behind where you started.
It is not the scalar property that makes distance always positive, it's the physical nature of space that does this.
As soon as you leave 1D motion, the concept should become clear ... a position coordinate can be positive or negative, it is a scalar.
 
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1. What is meant by "temperate a scalar"?

"Temperate a scalar" refers to adjusting the scale or range of values for a scalar quantity. This can be done to make the values more manageable or to better represent the data being measured.

2. How is negative temperature possible?

Negative temperature is possible in certain systems where the particles have an inverted energy distribution, meaning that the higher energy states are more populated than the lower energy states. This can occur in systems with a limited number of energy levels, such as certain types of spin systems.

3. What is the difference between negative and positive temperature?

The main difference between negative and positive temperature is the direction of energy flow. In positive temperature systems, energy tends to flow from hotter objects to colder objects. In negative temperature systems, energy flows from colder objects to hotter objects.

4. How is negative temperature related to absolute zero?

Negative temperature is not directly related to absolute zero, which is the lowest possible temperature on the Kelvin scale. However, it is possible for a system to have a negative temperature on the Kelvin scale, which would technically be "hotter" than absolute zero. This is because the Kelvin scale does not have a physical limit on the upper end, unlike the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales.

5. What are some real-world applications of negative temperature?

Negative temperature has been observed in certain types of spin systems and ultracold atomic gases. It has potential applications in high-energy physics, quantum computing, and information storage. It has also been studied in relation to thermodynamics and entropy.

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