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Rankine scale

Absolute temperature scale using Fahrenheit degrees

Field	Value
name	Rankine
quantity	Temperature
symbol	°R
symbol2	°Ra
namedafter	W. J. M. Rankine
convertfromx	yes
calcinput	491.67
units1	Kelvin scale
inunits1	491.67 R
units2	Celsius scale
inunits2	491.67 R
units3	Fahrenheit
inunits3	491.67 R

Note

the temperature scale

A man with a beard and curly hair sitting at a table with an open book. — W.J. Rankine

The Rankine scale ( ) is an absolute scale of thermodynamic temperature named after the University of Glasgow engineer and physicist W. J. M. Rankine, who proposed it in 1859. Similar to the Kelvin scale, which was first proposed in 1848, zero on the Rankine scale is absolute zero, but a temperature difference of one Rankine degree (°R or °Ra) is defined as equal to one Fahrenheit degree, rather than the Celsius degree used on the Kelvin scale. In converting from kelvin to degrees Rankine, 5//9 K or 1 K. A temperature of 0 K is equal to .

Usage

The Rankine scale is used in engineering systems where heat computations are done using degrees Fahrenheit.

The symbol for degrees Rankine is °R (or °Ra if necessary to distinguish it from the Rømer and Réaumur scales). By analogy with the SI unit kelvin, some authors term the unit Rankine, omitting the degree symbol.

Some temperatures relating the Rankine scale to other temperature scales are shown in the table below.

Scale	Kelvin	Rankine	Fahrenheit	Celsius	Réaumur	Temperature	Absolute zero	Freezing point of brine	Freezing point of water	Boiling point of water
0 K
255.37 K
273.15 K
373.1339 K

Notes

References

{{Cite Merriam-Webster. Rankine
(2008). "Guide for the use of the International System of Units (SI)". NIST Special Publication.
(18 August 2025). "NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically". National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Berger, Eric. (2022-08-29). "Warning sign? NASA never finished a fueling test before today's SLS launch attempt". Ars Technica.
Pauken, Michael. (2011). "Thermodynamics For Dummies". Wiley Publishing Inc..
Balmer, Robert. (2011). "Modern Engineering Thermodynamics". Elsevier Inc..
Grigull, Ulrich. (1986). "Heat Transfer".
Magnum, B.W.. (June 1995). "Reproducibility of the Temperature of the Ice Point in Routine Measurements". NIST Technical Note.

Info: Wikipedia Source

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scales-of-temperature 1859-introductions

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