Rankine Conversion

The Rankine is a unit used to measure temperature. Use one of the conversion calculators below to convert to another unit of measure, or read on to learn more about Rankine.

Rankine Conversion Calculators

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Rankine Definition and Usage

The Rankine scale is an absolute temperature scale that uses absolute zero as the starting point, much like the Kelvin scale. The key difference between the Rankine scale and the Kelvin scale is that an increment of one degree rankine is equal to an increment of one degree Fahrenheit, not Celsius as in the Kelvin scale. The base of the Rankine scale starts at absolute zero, thus 0 degrees rankine are equal to −459.67 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rankine can be abbreviated as R, and are also sometimes abbreviated as Ra. For example, 1 degree Rankine can be written as 1 °R or 1 Ra.

Important Temperatures In Degrees Rankine

Background and Origin

The Rankine scale is named for Scottish engineer William John Macquorn Rankine, who initially proposed the unit in 1859. The scale has more limited adoption currently than the Kelvin scale, but is commonly used in the United States aerospace industry.