# What’s the significance of the zeroth law of thermodynamics?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Tags:** science-math\
**Created:** [March 27, 2024, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484 "2024-03-27T23:43:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484/21 "2024-03-28T18:58:10Z")

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Nitpick: yes, it can.  
Deep water can’t get colder than 4°C before all the water above the deep water cools down to 4°C, but then it can get colder, and even freeze, no matter how deep, if it keeps losing heat. A planet-sized ball of ice is conceivable.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484/22 "2024-03-28T21:27:01Z")

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So what’s the standard name for \beta? Or is it just called “beta”?

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**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484/23 "2024-03-28T21:27:02Z")

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> [@Saint\_Cad](#):
>
> For example, as any sports-bettor (should) know, superiority is not transitive

[Non-transitive dice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intransitive_dice) are a fun thing. Though we all have a more familiar example in the form of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

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**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484/24 "2024-03-28T21:41:41Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> So what’s the standard name for \betaβ\beta? Or is it just called “beta”?

“Inverse temperature” is most common. Once introduced in a document, of course, just “\beta” suffices.

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**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484/25 "2024-03-28T21:45:05Z")

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I’ve seen “coldness” used, but I probably wouldn’t use it.

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**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-significance-of-the-zeroth-law-of-thermodynamics/999484/26 "2024-03-28T22:03:18Z")

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Yeah, it’s a cute name that has been proffered here and there, but no one actually uses it.

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