Celsius: Definitions and Examples

Celsius: Definitions, Formulas, & Examples

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    Celsius, also known as the degree Celsius, is a temperature measurement unit used in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius, who proposed the use of a centigrade scale in 1742.

    Anders Celsius was a Swedish astronomer who lived in the 18th century. He is best known for his temperature scale, which was proposed in 1742 and later named in his honor.

    Celsius’s original proposal was for a scale in which the freezing point of water was 100 degrees and the boiling point was 0 degrees. However, this was later reversed by Carl Linnaeus, a contemporary of Celsius, in order to make the scale more intuitive.

    The Celsius scale was officially adopted by the International System of Units (SI) in 1948, and it is now used as the standard temperature scale in most of the world. The only major exception is the United States, which continues to use the Fahrenheit scale.

    Celsius’s work on temperature measurement was part of a broader movement in the 18th century to establish a scientific system of measurement. This movement was led by the French Academy of Sciences, which was established in 1666 with the goal of promoting scientific research. The academy was a major force in the development of the metric system, which was first proposed in 1790 and later adopted as the international standard of measurement.

    Celsius himself was a member of the Academy of Sciences in Sweden and he made many other contributions to the field of astronomy and meteorology. He observed the aurora borealis, measured the length of the solar year, and published a book on the use of the barometer.

    Celsius died in 1744 at the age of 42. Today, his name lives on in the temperature scale that bears his name, which is widely used in scientific and everyday measurements around the world.

    Celsius vs. Fahrenheit

    Celsius and Fahrenheit are both units of measurement used to indicate temperature. Celsius, also known as the centigrade scale, is used primarily in the metric system and is the standard unit of measurement for temperature in most of the world, including all countries in the European Union, most of Asia, and Latin America. The Celsius scale is based on the metric system, with 0 degrees representing the freezing point of water and 100 degrees representing the boiling point of water at standard atmospheric pressure.

    Fahrenheit, on the other hand, is primarily used in the United States, the Bahamas, Belize, and the Cayman Islands. The Fahrenheit scale is based on the properties of a specific mixture of mercury and alcohol, with 32 degrees representing the freezing point of water and 212 degrees representing the boiling point of water at standard atmospheric pressure.

    In summary, Celsius is the standard unit of temperature measurement for most of the world, and is used in international scientific research and in many industries, including meteorology, medicine, and engineering. Fahrenheit is primarily used in the United States and a few other countries, and is primarily used in everyday temperature measurements and weather forecasting.

    Examples:

    1. Room temperature is typically around 20 degrees Celsius.
    2. The average temperature during a hot summer day is 30 degrees Celsius.
    3. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
    4. The temperature at the top of Mount Everest is typically around -20 degrees Celsius.
    5. The temperature in a typical household refrigerator is about 4 degrees Celsius.

    Here are 10 questions to test your knowledge of Celsius:

    1. What is the freezing point of water measured in Celsius?
    2. What is the boiling point of water measured in Celsius?
    3. Who proposed the use of the centigrade scale?
    4. What is the name of the temperature measurement unit used in the International System of Units?
    5. What is the typical room temperature measured in Celsius?
    6. What is the average temperature during a hot summer day measured in Celsius?
    7. What is the temperature at the top of Mount Everest measured in Celsius?
    8. What is the typical temperature of a household refrigerator measured in Celsius?
    9. The Celsius scale is based on what measurement system?
    10. What is the name of the Swedish astronomer who proposed the use of the centigrade scale?

    Answers:

    1. 0
    2. 100
    3. Anders Celsius
    4. Celsius
    5. 20
    6. 30
    7. -20
    8. 4
    9. Metric system
    10. Anders Celsius

    Celsius:

    Conversions to other units

    0 °C | 273.2 K (kelvins)
 | 32 °F (degrees Fahrenheit)
 | 491.7 °R (degrees Rankine)
 | 0 °Ré (degrees Réaumur)
 | 7.5 °Rø (degrees Rømer)

    Conversions from other units

    0 K | -273.2 °C
0 °F | -17.78 °C
0 °R | -273.2 °C
0 °Ré | 0 °C
0 °Rø | -14.29 °C

    Physical quantities

    non-equilibrium temperature

    temperature

    Weiss constant

    Unit system

    Système International d'Unités (SI)

    Basic unit dimensions

    [temperature]

    Corresponding quantities for 0 °C

    Thermodynamic energy E from E = kT:
 | 24 meV (millielectronvolts)

    Blackbody energy flux Φ from Φ = σT^4:
 | 315.7 W/m^2 (watts per square meter)

    Approximate luminous exitance from a planar blackbody radiator perpendicular to its surface:
 | 3.1×10^-24 lx (lux)

    Comparisons for 0 °C as temperature

    15.56 °C below temperature at standard temperature and pressure using the US customary convention (60 °F)

    15 °C below temperature at standard temperature and pressure using the convention of European and South American natural gas companies (15 °C)

     = temperature at standard temperature and pressure using the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry convention (0 °C)

    Associated entities

    Anders Celsius

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