Convert Kelvin to Rankine
Rankine = Kelvin × 1.8. Type any temperature below to convert kelvin to rankine both ways — it runs entirely in your browser.
Kelvin to Rankine formula
Temperature scales have different zero points, so the conversion is a multiply-and-add, not a single ratio:
Rankine = Kelvin × 1.8
To go the other way, Kelvin = Rankine × 0.5555556.
Worked example
Convert 300 K to rankine:
= 300 × 1.8 = 540 °R.
Common temperatures in Kelvin and Rankine
| Reference point | Kelvin (K) | Rankine (°R) |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute zero | 0 | 0 |
| Freezing point of water | 273.15 | 491.67 |
| Refrigerator | 277.15 | 498.87 |
| Room temperature | 294.15 | 529.47 |
| Normal human body temperature | 310.15 | 558.27 |
| A hot summer day | 318.15 | 572.67 |
| Boiling point of water (sea level) | 373.15 | 671.67 |
About the Kelvin and Rankine scales
Kelvin: The kelvin is the SI base unit of temperature. It starts at absolute zero (0 K = −273.15 °C) and uses the same degree size as Celsius, so it is written without a degree sign.
Rankine: The Rankine scale starts at absolute zero like Kelvin but uses the Fahrenheit-sized degree (0 °R = −459.67 °F). It appears in some US engineering and thermodynamics work.
Sources
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the SI — publishes the defining relations between the temperature scales. Unlike every other conversion on this site these are affine, not a single multiplying factor: t/°C = (t/°F − 32)/1.8 and T/K = (T/°R)/1.8 are exact by definition, so the figures here are exact rather than rounded — the scales simply have different zero points as well as different degree sizes.
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure) — the defining document for the SI, published by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. It fixes the base unit that this conversion resolves to, which is why the factor here can be exact rather than approximate.
Frequently asked questions
- What is 300 K in Rankine?
- 300 K = 540 °R.
- How do I convert Kelvin to Rankine?
- Use rankine = kelvin × 1.8. For example, 300 K → 540 °R.
- How do I convert Rankine back to Kelvin?
- Reverse it: kelvin = rankine × 0.5555556.
- Is converting Kelvin to Rankine just multiplication?
- Yes — Kelvin and Rankine share the same zero (absolute zero), so rankine = kelvin × 1.8 with no constant added.