A scientist reports that his measurement of the temperature of the surface of a newly discovered planet is -20 K. What conclusion can be drawn from this report?
A) The scientist measured only the dark side of the planet, away from the Sun.
B) The planet has no atmosphere.
C) The planet is a very long way from the Sun.
D) The result is erroneous because absolute temperature cannot be negative.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Absolute temperature, measured in Kelvin (K), cannot be negative. The Kelvin scale starts at absolute zero (0 K), which is the coldest possible temperature where all molecular motion stops.

A Scientist Reports That His Measurement of the Temperature of the Surface