University Event

'How do you really know what the temperature is?' Lecture

University event offered by University of Birmingham

Event Summary:

This event will be held in the Large Lecture Theatre, Poynting Building. Refreshments will be provided from 7.00pm in the Tea Room of the Poynting Building, second floor. This lecture is free of charge and suitable for teachers and students studying at GCSE and A-level. No booking required.

Full Event Details:

Everybody measures temperature – and everyone sort of knows what temperature is. In this talk I will first outline how we make the connection in practice between the energy associated with the microscopic jiggling of atoms and molecules and the temperature scale we all use (Celsius). Then I will describe the rationale for the forthcoming redefinition of the unit of temperature, and why, although you won’t notice, it is still a good idea! Finally, I will explain why every temperature you ever measured was a little bit wrong – and how we can put it right!

Dr Michael de Podesta, National Physical Laboratory

Suitable For:

Bookings by Teachers for Key Stage 4 (Students aged 14-16)
Bookings by Teachers for Key Stage 5 (Students aged 16-18)
Individuals (Enquiry not required to be through a school)
Teachers (CPD)

Duration:

Short Session

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Minimum number of students:

Institution Profile:

Birmingham has been challenging and developing great minds for more than a century. Characterised by a tradition of innovation, research at the University has broken new ground, pushed forward the boundaries of knowledge and made an impact on people’s lives.

We continue this tradition today and have ambitions for a future that will embed our work and recognition of the Birmingham name on the international stage.

Universities are never complete. They develop as new challenges and opportunities occur. At Birmingham we innovate, we push the frontiers of understanding; we ask new research questions, we turn theory through experiment into practice – because that’s what great universities do.

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