# Delisle to Kelvin (°De to K)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/temperature/delisle-to-kelvin/

To convert Delisle to Kelvin, use the formula: K = 373.15 - De x 2/3. The Kelvin scale starts at absolute zero (0 K = -273.15 degrees C), while the Delisle scale starts at the boiling point of water (0 De = 373.15 K). Both scales were created for scientific purposes, but from opposite philosophical starting points - Kelvin from the coldest possible temperature, Delisle from one of the hottest commonly encountered ones.

## Formula

°De via Kelvin to K

## Conversion Table

| Delisle (°De) | Kelvin (K) |
|---|---|
| 0 °De | 373.15 K |
| 50 °De | 339.81666666667 K |
| 100 °De | 306.48333333333 K |
| 150 °De | 273.15 K |
| 200 °De | 239.81666666667 K |
| 250 °De | 206.48333333333 K |
| 300 °De | 173.15 K |
| 350 °De | 139.81666666667 K |
| 400 °De | 106.48333333333 K |
| 500 °De | 39.816666666667 K |
| 559 °De | 0.48333333333329 K |

## Units

### Delisle (°De)

A historical inverted temperature scale invented by Joseph-Nicolas Delisle in 1732. Water boils at 0 °De and freezes at 150 °De. Higher numbers mean colder temperatures.

### Kelvin (K)

The SI base unit of temperature. 0 K is absolute zero, the theoretical lowest possible temperature. Used in science and engineering.

## Background

At 150 Delisle (the freezing point of water), the Kelvin equivalent is 273.15 K. At 0 Delisle (boiling water), it is 373.15 K. Absolute zero in Delisle is 559.725 De - a number so far from the scale's practical range that Delisle never imagined temperatures that cold. The conversion connects an 18th-century empirical scale to a 19th-century thermodynamic absolute.

## Good to Know

The Delisle and Kelvin scales represent two fundamentally different approaches to temperature measurement. Delisle started from a practical reference point (boiling water) and measured downward. Kelvin started from a theoretical absolute (the complete absence of thermal energy) and measured upward. The transition from empirical to absolute temperature scales mirrors the broader evolution of science from observation to theory.

## FAQ

### How do you convert Delisle to Kelvin?

Subtract the Delisle value times 2/3 from 373.15. For example, 150 Delisle: 373.15 - (150 x 0.6667) = 373.15 - 100 = 273.15 Kelvin (the freezing point of water).

### What is absolute zero in Delisle?

Absolute zero (0 Kelvin, -273.15 degrees Celsius) equals 559.725 degrees Delisle. This extremely high Delisle number reflects the scale's inverted nature - colder temperatures produce larger numbers.

### Were Delisle and Kelvin ever used simultaneously?

No. The Delisle scale fell out of use in Russia by the mid-1800s, while the Kelvin scale was formalized by Lord Kelvin in 1848. They never coexisted as active scientific standards.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### Is 559.725 Delisle the most absurd way to express absolute zero?

It is certainly unintuitive. While 0 Kelvin and -273.15 Celsius both communicate 'the coldest possible temperature' clearly, 559.725 Delisle sounds like an extraordinarily hot oven setting. The inverted Delisle scale makes the universe's coldest temperature look like its hottest - a philosophical confusion that no other temperature scale produces.

### Would a physicist ever choose Delisle over Kelvin?

Never. Kelvin's absolute zero starting point makes thermodynamic calculations natural: energy is proportional to temperature, entropy calculations are straightforward, and gas laws use simple ratios. In Delisle, every thermodynamic equation would need awkward inversions. Kelvin was designed for physics; Delisle was designed for one man's mercury thermometer.

### If the Delisle scale had survived, would science be different?

The physics would be identical - nature does not care which scale humans use. But the equations would be messier, the intuition harder, and every physics student would need to remember that higher numbers mean lower energy. Kelvin's genius was aligning the mathematics with physical reality. Delisle's scale aligned with nothing except mercury expansion in a glass tube.

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## See Also

- [Kelvin to Delisle](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/temperature/kelvin-to-delisle/)