Convert Electronvolt to Kelvin
Convert electronvolts to kelvins instantly. 1 eV = 11604.5181215501 K — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a reference-temperature table and worked examples. Also check the Kelvin to Electronvolt converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Electronvolt
As a temperature unit, one electronvolt (eV) is the temperature at which a particle's characteristic thermal energy kT equals one electronvolt — exactly 11,604.51812 kelvins under the 2019 SI definitions of e and k.
Comes from the plasma-physics and astrophysics habit of quoting temperatures directly as energies through the Boltzmann relation E = kT, which removes constant unit conversions from the equations of hot ionized matter.
Standard in plasma physics, fusion research, and high-energy astrophysics: the core plasma of a tokamak runs at tens of kiloelectronvolts, while the Sun's core is about 1.3 keV.
Grew out of 20th-century particle- and plasma-physics convention; its kelvin equivalent became an exact number when the 2019 SI revision fixed both the elementary charge and the Boltzmann constant.
Kelvin
The kelvin (K) is the SI base unit of thermodynamic temperature, defined by fixing the Boltzmann constant k at exactly 1.380649×10⁻²³ J/K. Zero kelvin is absolute zero, the lowest temperature physically possible, and kelvin values are written without a degree sign.
Named for William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, who in 1848 calculated the value of absolute zero (about −273 °C) and proposed an absolute thermodynamic scale. His title comes from the River Kelvin, which flows past the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
The universal temperature unit of science and engineering — physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science — and the standard for color temperature in photography, displays, and lighting (a 5600 K daylight bulb).
Proposed by William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) in 1848; adopted as an SI base unit by the 10th CGPM in 1954 and redefined through the fixed Boltzmann constant by the 26th CGPM, effective May 20, 2019.
Electronvolt to Kelvin conversion formula
The exact relationship between electronvolts and kelvins:
To convert electronvolts to kelvins, multiply the value in electronvolts by 11604.51812. To reverse, multiply the value in kelvins by 8.617333e-5.
Both units count upward from absolute zero, so 0 eV = 0 K and the relationship is a pure ratio.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in kelvins updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Kelvin to Electronvolt converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert electronvolts to kelvins
- Write down the temperature in electronvolts (eV).
- Multiply the value in electronvolts by 11604.51812.
- The result is the same temperature expressed in kelvins (K).
- To reverse, multiply the value in kelvins by 8.617333e-5 — or open the Kelvin to Electronvolt converter.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 eV to K:
1 × 11604.51812 = 11604.5181215501 K
Example 2 — Convert 100 eV to K:
100 × 11604.51812 = 1160451.8121550083 K
Electronvolt to Kelvin conversion table
Physically meaningful reference temperatures, from absolute zero to the surface of the Sun, converted from electronvolts to kelvins:
| Electronvolt [eV] | Kelvin [K] | Reference point |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | Absolute zero |
| 0.0200913125 | 233.15 | Where Celsius and Fahrenheit coincide (−40°) |
| 0.0220062754 | 255.3722222222 | Zero Fahrenheit (0 °F) |
| 0.0235382458 | 273.15 | Water freezes (0 °C / 32 °F) |
| 0.0235391075 | 273.16 | Triple point of water |
| 0.0243999791 | 283.15 | Cool day (10 °C / 50 °F) |
| 0.0252617125 | 293.15 | Room temperature (20 °C / 68 °F) |
| 0.0256925791 | 298.15 | Standard laboratory temperature (25 °C) |
| 0.0261234458 | 303.15 | Hot day (30 °C / 86 °F) |
| 0.0267266591 | 310.15 | Human body temperature (37 °C / 98.6 °F) |
| 0.0269851791 | 313.15 | Heat-wave day (40 °C / 104 °F) |
| 0.0278469124 | 323.15 | Hot tap water (50 °C / 122 °F) |
| 0.0321555791 | 373.15 | Water boils (100 °C / 212 °F) |
| 0.0390494457 | 453.15 | Moderate baking oven (180 °C / 356 °F) |
| 0.4979095159 | 5778 | Surface of the Sun (≈5,505 °C) |
Frequently asked questions
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Sources & references
Conversion relationship (1 eV = 11604.5181215501 K) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- BIPM — International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90)
The internationally agreed practical temperature scale, defining fixed points (including the triple point of water at 273.16 K) and interpolation instruments used by national metrology institutes for thermometer calibration worldwide.
- CODATA Internationally Recommended Values of the Fundamental Physical Constants
Committee on Data of the International Science Council; authoritative source for the masses of fundamental particles (electron, proton, neutron) and the atomic mass constant.