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Ten Things You Maybe Didn't Know About the Degree Celsius
1. Developed by Anders Celsius in 1742
The Celsius scale was created by Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius in 1742. He originally defined the scale with 0°C as the boiling point of water and 100°C as the freezing point, but his version was later flipped to the system we use today.
2. Water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C
One of the most convenient things about Celsius is its simplicity: water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C. This makes it easy to remember and perfect for everyday use, especially when measuring temperatures in cooking and weather.
3. It's the most common temperature scale globally
Today, Celsius is the temperature scale used by nearly every country in the world, with the U.S. being the main exception. It’s the go-to system for science, meteorology, and daily life in most places.
4. Based on the properties of water
What makes Celsius so intuitive is that it’s based on the properties of water—one of the most common substances on Earth. By defining the freezing and boiling points of water, it makes sense in practical, everyday terms.
5. It’s part of the metric system
Celsius is part of the metric system, which is why it’s so widely used around the world. It’s a base-10 system, making conversions between Celsius, millimeters, kilograms, and other metric units easy and straightforward.
6. Used in scientific research
In science, Celsius is used universally because it’s practical and based on natural phenomena. Whether it’s measuring the temperature of a chemical reaction or the surface temperature of a planet, Celsius is the go-to scale for scientific work.
7. Used for weather forecasts worldwide
When you check the weather, it’s almost always reported in Celsius (outside the U.S.). From snowy days in Europe to hot summers in Australia, Celsius helps people around the world understand the weather in a uniform way.
8. It’s easy to convert to Kelvin
Since Celsius is part of the metric system, it’s a breeze to convert to Kelvin, another commonly used temperature scale in science. You just add 273.15 to the Celsius temperature to get the equivalent in Kelvin!
9. It's simple to use for everyday measurements
Celsius makes sense for daily use because its scale is based on the freezing and boiling points of water, which are common experiences. Whether you're making soup or stepping outside, it's a scale that aligns with your day-to-day life.
10. Celsius is more precise than Fahrenheit
Because the Celsius scale is divided into 100 increments between freezing and boiling points, it’s more precise than the Fahrenheit scale, which only has 180 increments between the same two points. This gives Celsius a finer resolution for temperature measurement.