A Simple Laboratory Experiment for the Determination of Absolute Zero

A novel method that evaluates absolute zero was developed. It employs a remarkably simple and inexpensive apparatus and is based on the extrapolation of the volume of a given amount of dry air to zero volume after a volume of air trapped inside a 10-mL graduated cylinder is measured at various temperatures. This method of determining absolute zero is new in the sense that it utilizes reported values of the vapor pressure of water at various temperatures to extract the volume of dry air from that of wet air. A set of 10 measured values ranged from -263.10 to -287.90 °C with an average value and standard deviation of 277.86 ± 7.35 °C. This result is notably better than results from other methods of extrapolation to zero volume, which typically yield a standard deviation of ±20 °C.