Fahrenheit vs Celsius

If you follow weather updates where temperature is mentioned, confusion can arise when two units are mentioned: Fahrenheit and Celsius. This article explains the two temperature scales and also focuses on the conversions from Celsius to Fahrenheit and Fahrenheit to Celsius.

Before you jump into Fahrenheit to degrees switch or the skill on how to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit you should know that most countries across the world follow the Celsius scale.

However, countries such as The United States of America, Puerto Rico, Belize, Bahamas etc. swear by the Fahrenheit scale.

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Although you’d prefer what’s used in your country, you never know when you might need to convert one into the other. Understanding the differences between Celsius and Fahrenheit and the conversions can come pretty handy if you’re into research or following any material that mentions temperature.

You might also find yourself scratching your head when Celsius and Centigrade are mentioned. This will be clarified as you read on. A few individuals also prefer employing another temperature scale known as Kelvin. However, this unit is mostly put to use in scientific fields.

All you need to know at the moment are the differences between Fahrenheit and Celsius, and how the conversion for temperature formula from one unit into the other works.

What is Celsius And Fahrenheit? Here’s What You Will Learn About the Two Temperature Scales

• The Inception of Fahrenheit Temperature Scale
• Celsius and Centigrade: The Difference Between the Two
• Converting Temperature Scales: Fahrenheit to Celsius Formula & Celsius Formula for Corresponding Fahrenheit Temperature

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Enter Fahrenheit: How and Why °F Came into Being

What is Fahrenheit? Well, it’s a temperature scale that puts the boiling point of water at 212 and its freezing point at 32, with a difference of 180 between the two. The person behind the unit was a German-born scientist called Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit.

It was in the year 1714 when Fahrenheit built the first mercury thermometer that offered meticulous readings than pre-existing temperature readings. It challenged the readings offered by an alcohol thermometer developed by Olaus Roemer, a Danish-based scientist.

Roemer’s thermometer recorded 0 as the lowest temperature, 60 as the boiling point of water, 7.5 as the melting point of water, and 22.5 as the body temperature. Since Fahrenheit’s mercury thermometer offered better readings, he multiplied Roemer’s metrics by 4 and made further adjustments to refine the readings.

From his experiments, he placed the stable temperature at 0 by using an equal mix of water, ice, and ammonium chloride. He also set a point on his scale at 32 by leaving out the salt from his ice and water mixture. The third and final point on his scale was 96, which was an approximated value for human body temperature.

His readings were further improved by scientists many years after his demise, and placed them at 32 and 212 to signify melting and boiling points respectively. Furthermore, the body temperature was set at 98.6.

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Understanding Centigrade and Celsius Ideologies

You must’ve heard many people using Centigrade and Celsius as they like. However, you should understand that Celsius is the proper way of referring to the Centigrade scale.

So, what is the Centigrade scale? The word Centigrade is derived from the Latin words centum, which translates to ‘hundred’, and gradus which means steps or scales. So, the Celsius scale has a hundred divisions between its two extremes.

The man behind the invention of this scale was Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomy professor who placed the boiling point of water at 0 degrees, and its freezing point at 100 degrees. This graduation was however changed by another Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus, who simply reversed the scale: 100 degrees for boiling point, and 0 degrees for freezing point of water.

The reversal was finally tagged as the Celsius scale and was deemed correct and more accurate by the General Conference of Weights and Measures in the 1950s.

The similarity between both Fahrenheit and Celsius scales is that both have matching temperatures at minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit and minus 40 degrees Celsius.

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Temperature Conversion Between Celsius and Fahrenheit

The conversion from one temperature scale is pretty easy and straightforward as depicted below.

So, how to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit? All you have to do is take the temperature in Celsius, multiply it by a value of 1.8, and add 32 to the final product.

So, 42 degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit is exactly:

(42 degrees Celsius x 1.8) + 32 = 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit

To find out how to convert Fahrenheit into Celsius, take the Fahrenheit value and subtract 32 from it. Once you’re done, divide the final number by 1.8 to get the Fahrenheit to Celsius value.

If you follow this rule and do the math properly, 100 degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius is exactly:

(100 degrees Fahrenheit – 32) ÷ 1.8 = 37.78 degrees Celsius

Well, there you have it; you now know how both temperature scales were introduced, and also how to convert from one into the other.