What is absolute zero?
Quick Answer
Absolute zero is the coldest possible temperature, −273.15°C (0 Kelvin), where atomic motion reaches its minimum. It can be approached but never fully reached.
The Full Story
Temperature is a measure of the motion of atoms and molecules. Absolute zero, defined as 0 Kelvin or −273.15°C (−459.67°F), is the theoretical point at which this motion drops to the lowest level allowed by quantum mechanics. The laws of thermodynamics say it can be approached ever more closely but never actually reached. Scientists have chilled atoms to within a billionth of a degree of absolute zero in the lab, revealing strange states of matter such as Bose–Einstein condensates, where atoms behave as a single quantum entity. The coldest natural place known is the Boomerang Nebula, at about 1 Kelvin.
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