Archive for June, 2010
Fahrenheit to Celsius
To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit number. Divide the number by 1.8. The result is the Celsius equivalent. If you want to convert 80 F to Celsius, the formula is 80 – 32 = 48, then 48/1.8 = 27 degrees Celsius. To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius degrees by 9. Divide the result by 5 and add 32 to it.
Facts about Fahrenheit
This temperature scale is named after its proponent, the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736). The Fahrenheit would become the standard temperature measurement in most English countries up to the 1960s. They were used in medicine, industries and the weather.
By the early 1970s however, many countries began using the Celsius. The Fahrenheit, however, remains in use in the US, Palau and a few other countries. Even though Canada has switched to Celsius, many kitchen ovens there still use the Fahrenheit scale. In addition, the temperatures are always given out in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Definition
The boiling point is at 212 “F, while the freezing point is at 32 degrees. This puts the freezing and boiling point 190 degrees apart. Each degree on this temperature scale is 1?180 of the interval of the boiling and freezing points.
By comparison, the Celsius boiling and freezing points are a hundred degrees apart. The two temperature scales meet up at ?40 degrees. This means at -40, the temperature is similar.
Facts about Celsius
The need to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius stems from the fact that the latter is used in most countries around the world. In most countries, the Celsius is used for cooking, in industries, medicine, weather forecasting and various scientific applications.
The only exception is in a few other scientific fields like astrophysics where the Kelvin scale is used. In the US, the Celsius is used in scientific applications too. But as stated, the Fahrenheit is employed in most non scientific applications.
Key Celsius Scales
Absolute zero is ?273.15 “C, equal to ?459.67 “F. The melting point of ice is 0 “C or 32 “F. The boiling point is at 99.9839 “C (211.9710 “F).
Celsius and Centigrade
Until 1948, the Celsius was known as the centigrade. However the French and the Spanish language use centigrade for angular measurements, causing confusion. For this reason the Celsius was adopted. However there are still people who refer to it as centigrade.
History
The temperature scale was invented by Anders Celsius (1701-1744), a Swedish astronomer. However, the astronomer intended the zero to be the boiling point and 100 degrees the freezing point. But in 1744, the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus reversed the scale with his thermometer.
The oldest known document with the reversed Celsius reading dates from 16 December 1745. It is a letter that Linnaeus wrote to one of his students detailing his use of the thermometer.
These days it is very easy to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius. There are many online applications that automate conversion. There are also commercially available thermometers that show both temperature scales.