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Ten Things You Maybe Didn't Know About the Degree Fahrenheit

1. Created by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit

The Fahrenheit scale was created in 1724 by Polish-German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. He wanted to create a more precise way to measure temperature, and his scale became widely adopted, especially in English-speaking countries.

2. Water freezes at 32 °F and boils at 212 °F

On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at 32 °F and boils at 212 °F, which gives us a nice 180-degree spread between the two. These values have been the standard for the scale ever since its introduction.

3. It’s still widely used in the U.S.

Unlike most of the world, the United States continues to use Fahrenheit for everyday temperature measurements, especially for weather and household thermometers. It’s part of the country’s historical preference for imperial units.

4. Based on a mix of ice and salt

Fahrenheit created his scale by using a mixture of ice and salt to set the lower end (0 °F) and the freezing point of water (32 °F) to create a temperature system that would be consistent for scientific measurements.

5. The scale was once a global standard

When Fahrenheit introduced his scale, it became the standard for many countries, including those in Europe. However, over time, Celsius took over in most parts of the world, while Fahrenheit stuck around in the U.S. and a few other places.

6. 98.6 °F is human body temperature

One of the most famous temperatures on the Fahrenheit scale is 98.6 °F, which is considered the average normal body temperature. It’s so ingrained in popular culture that it’s become a universal reference point.

7. Celsius and Fahrenheit are easy to convert

Although Celsius is the more common scale, converting between Celsius and Fahrenheit is simple. The formula is: °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32. If you’re ever in doubt, just use this quick equation!

8. The Fahrenheit scale has finer increments than Celsius

Because each Fahrenheit degree is 1/180th of the difference between the freezing and boiling points of water, the scale is more granular than Celsius, where each degree represents 1/100th of the difference.

9. Used for specific scientific measurements in the U.S.

In some scientific fields, Fahrenheit is still used in the U.S., particularly when dealing with temperature-sensitive processes like chemistry and materials science. It’s not as common as Celsius or Kelvin, but it’s still in the toolkit for certain industries.

10. A part of American culture

Fahrenheit is more than just a temperature scale in the U.S.; it’s woven into the culture. From weather reports to household thermostats, Fahrenheit continues to be a fixture in daily American life.