What are Some Extremely High Temperatures?
On Earth, we are fortunate only to experience temperatures near the lower end of what’s possible. Temperatures on Earth range from 184 K (-89 °C, -128.6 °F) to 331 K (58 °C, 136.4 °F), with a mean surface temperature of 287 K (14 °C, 57 °F). 287 K is quite small in comparison to, say, the temperature of the Sun’s surface, which is 5780 K. 1170 K is the approximate temperature of a wood log burning in a fire. Iron melts at 1811 K. The temperature of the Earth’s molten core is about 5650 K. At 7000 K, most familiar elements and compounds, such as carbon, vaporize. Generally at temperatures well below 9000 K, gases become a plasma, which is a ionized gas, meaning the electrons are ripped from the atomic nuclei and float freely in the mix. Tungsten doesn’t vaporize until 15500 K. Sustained temperatures greater than about a few kK (kiloKevin, or 1000 K) are found mainly in the cores of gas giants and in the interiors of stars and other exotic astronomical objects. The temperature of the cor
On Earth, we are fortunate only to experience temperatures near the lower end of what’s possible. Temperatures on Earth range from 184 K (-89 °C, -128.6 °F) to 331 K (58 °C, 136.4 °F), with a mean surface temperature of 287 K (14 °C, 57 °F). 287 K is quite small in comparison to, say, the temperature of the Sun’s surface, which is 5780 K. 1170 K is the approximate temperature of a wood log burning in a fire. Iron melts at 1811 K. The temperature of the Earth’s molten core is about 5650 K. At 7000 K, most familiar elements and compounds, such as carbon, vaporize. Generally at temperatures well below 9000 K, gases become a plasma, which is a ionized gas, meaning the electrons are ripped from the atomic nuclei and float freely in the mix. Tungsten doesn’t vaporize until 15500 K. Sustained temperatures greater than about a few kK (kiloKevin, or 10000 K) are found mainly in the cores of gas giants and in the interiors of stars and other exotic astronomical objects. The temperature of the co
On Earth, we are fortunate only to experience temperatures near the lower end of what’s possible. Temperatures on Earth range from 184 K (-89 °C, -128.6 °F) to 331 K (58 °C, 136.4 °F), with a mean surface temperature of 287 K (14 °C, 57 °F). 287 K is quite small in comparison to, say, the temperature of the Sun’s surface, which is 5780 K. 1170 K is the approximate temperature of a wood log burning in a fire. Iron melts at 1811 K. The temperature of the Earth’s molten core is about 5650 K. At 7000 K, most familiar elements and compounds, such as carbon, vaporize. Generally at temperatures well below 9000 K, gases become a plasma, which is a ionized gas, meaning the electrons are ripped from the atomic nuclei and float freely in the mix. Tungsten doesn’t vaporize until 15500 K. Sustained temperatures greater than about a few kK (kiloKevin, or 10000 K) are found mainly in the cores of gas giants and in the interiors of stars and other exotic astronomical objects. The temperature of
