20 K to °F — 20 kelvin in degrees Fahrenheit
Exact 20 × 1.8 − 459.67 = -423.67
20 kelvin in other units
| Degrees Celsius | -253.15 | °C |
|---|---|---|
| Degrees Fahrenheit | -423.67 | °F |
| Degrees Rankine | 36 | °R |
K to °F at a glance
| Kelvin | Degrees Fahrenheit |
|---|---|
| 1 K | -457.87 °F |
| 2 K | -456.07 °F |
| 3 K | -454.27 °F |
| 5 K | -450.67 °F |
| 10 K | -441.67 °F |
| 20 K | -423.67 °F |
| 25 K | -414.67 °F |
| 50 K | -369.67 °F |
| 100 K | -279.67 °F |
| 250 K | -9.67 °F |
| 500 K | 440.33 °F |
| 1,000 K | 1,340.33 °F |
How to convert kelvin to degrees Fahrenheit
Multiply by -457.87 — one kelvin is -457.87 degrees Fahrenheit. That factor is exact: it comes from the definition of the units rather than from a measurement, so it will not change and does not need rounding.
Working 20 × 1.8 − 459.67 = -423.67
In words: about minus four hundred twenty-four degrees Fahrenheit.
What these units are
The kelvin and the degree Fahrenheit are covered in the temperature unit guide, along with every other unit on this page.
Questions
How many degrees Fahrenheit are in a kelvin?
One kelvin is -457.87 degrees Fahrenheit. This figure is exact — it comes from the definition of the unit, not a measurement.
What is 20 kelvin in degrees Fahrenheit?
20 kelvin is -423.67 degrees Fahrenheit. The working is 20 × 1.8 − 459.67 = -423.67.
Why can't I just multiply to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit?
Because the two scales do not start in the same place. Zero Celsius is 32 Fahrenheit, so you have to shift as well as scale: multiply by 9/5, then add 32. Multiplying alone is right only for a temperature difference, never a temperature.
Where do the two scales meet?
At −40. Minus forty Celsius and minus forty Fahrenheit are the same temperature, which is the one value you can quote in either scale without converting.
Is it 'degrees Kelvin'?
No. Kelvin is written without the degree sign and without the word degree — 300 K, read as three hundred kelvin. It is an absolute scale, so there is no offset to name.
What is Rankine for?
Rankine is Fahrenheit's absolute scale: same size step, but starting at absolute zero instead of the Fahrenheit zero. It still turns up in US thermodynamics and aerospace work.