Dear College of Science Faculty and Staff,
This time of year, I’m in awe of the birds out there in just their feathers, energetically visiting the bird feeder, while I’m bundled in inner, middle and outer layers. And I am deeply worried about people without homes, trying to stay warm.
Temperature is Physics that everyone knows! A temperature reflects the kinetic energy (‘movement energy’) of the atoms that comprise a substance, or the many substances that make up yourself. Everyone has something to say about this aspect of physics since it interfaces so extensively with almost everything. Here are some notes: you may have read that a ‘normal’ human body temperature is 98.6 degrees F. However, that number was apparently derived in the 1800’s from measuring body temperature of ~25,000 people and taking the average. A regular body temp can be 97-99 degrees F, with daily fluctuations and morning apogee. Something above 100 degrees is considered febrile (having a fever); three degrees below is hypothermic. Neither is good because the processes make your cells work are fine-tuned to work best at regular body temperatures, and their ability to function drops off with temperature change in either direction, largely because proteins that drive cellular chemistry cannot assume their optimal shapes.
Some animals are ‘chionophiles’ that thrive in cold weather, and you may know that some fish live where the water temperature can be at or below freezing. In our College, we are proud that Emeritus Professor Bill Dietrich of Marine and Environmental Sciences has made groundbreaking discoveries around Antarctic icefishes, that carry antifreeze in their blood to stop ice crystals from harming the blood vessels.
The temperatures across our planet are on everyone’s mind, due to the increases coming from global warming that promote climate change. Global goals are to limit increase of earth’s temperature to 1.5 degrees, something that is contentious and difficult.
Body temperature and that of the earth are sensitive to small changes. Across the universe there are huge temperature variations. The core of our sun is at an amazing 27 million degrees F, that allows fusion to generate the energy on which we depend. At the other end, there is absolute zero, minus 459.67 degrees F, that is impossible to reach, where atoms stop moving. As you approach this elusive value, unusual, useful physical things happen – including ‘superconducting’ where resistance to passage of an electric current goes to zero!
Finally, there is interesting etymology around the root ‘temper’ that includes temperature, and where ‘temper’ can mean the physical change of softening a hard material, such as chocolate or metal, or refer to your state of calmness. In COS we all work hard on a daily basis to keep our college temperature calm, and to address challenges that come our way in the same spirit. We are a Diverse College where Everyone Belongs, thank you! for everything you are contributing.