The Kelvin scale was defined to have the same increments as the Celsius scale to maintain consistency and compatibility between the two temperature scales.
The Celsius scale, previously known as the centigrade scale, was developed by the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius in the early 18th century. It was initially defined based on the freezing and boiling points of water. The Celsius scale sets the freezing point of water at 0 degrees Celsius (°C) and the boiling point of water at 100 degrees Celsius (°C) at standard atmospheric pressure.
Later, the Kelvin scale was proposed and developed by the Scottish physicist William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin, in the mid-19th century. The Kelvin scale is an absolute temperature scale where zero Kelvin (0 K) represents absolute zero, the theoretical lowest temperature where all molecular motion ceases.
To ensure compatibility and consistency between the two scales, the Kelvin scale was defined to have the same size of degree increments as the Celsius scale. This means that a temperature difference of 1 degree Celsius is equivalent to a temperature difference of 1 Kelvin. The numerical values on the Kelvin scale are shifted by a constant offset of 273.15 units from the Celsius scale. In other words, 0 degrees Celsius is equal to 273.15 Kelvin.
By maintaining the same increments, it becomes easy to convert between Kelvin and Celsius by simple addition or subtraction of the constant offset. This consistency allows for seamless conversion and comparison of temperatures between the two scales, making it convenient for scientific and engineering applications.