Temperature and its measurement

Abstract

Temperature is that property of a body which determines whether it gains or loses energy in a particular environment. In classical thermodynamics temperature is defined by the relationship between energy and entropy. Temperature can be defined only for a body that is in thermodynamic and thermal equilibrium; whilst organisms do not conform to these criteria, the errors in assuming that they do are generally small. The Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales are arbitrary because they require two fixed points, one to define the zero and the other to set the scale. The thermodynamic (absolute) scale of temperature has a natural zero (absolute zero) and is defined by the triple point of water. Its unit of temperature is the Kelvin. The Celsius scale is convenient for much ecological and physiological work, but where temperature is included in statistical or deterministic models, only thermodynamic temperature should be used. Past temperatures can only be reconstructed with the use of proxies, the most important of which are based on isotope fractionation.