The Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales are two ways of measuring the same thing: the quantity of heat. They have similar origins, with both scales originating as ways to measure the human body’s response to being exposed to different quantities of heat. However, they are not identical; there are some significant differences between them. Celsius (also known as centigrade) is the common temperature scale used throughout much of the world today. It measures temperatures in standard 10-degree increments from freezing to boiling, ranging from 0 to 100 degrees instead of using a smaller range like 32 to 212 like the Fahrenheit scale does. This article explains how these two temperature scales compare and contrast, so you can choose which one is most suitable for your needs.
What Is The Difference Between Fahrenheit And Celsius?
The difference between Fahrenheit and Celsius is that Fahrenheit is measured in degrees Fahrenheit while Celsius is measured in degrees Celsius. Additionally, the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit while the freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celsius. Finally, the boiling point of water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit while the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius.
How To Convert Between Celsius And Fahrenheit
- In Fahrenheit, the freezing point of water is 32 degrees F and the boiling point of water is 212 degrees F.
- In Celsius, the freezing point of water is 0 degrees C and the boiling point of water is 100 degrees C.
- To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, multiply by 9/5 and add 32. For example: If it takes 1 hour for a cup of water to freeze at 32 F and boil at 212 F, then it will take 1 hour in Celsius to freeze at 0 C and boil at 100 C.
- To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 5/9 and subtract 32: For example: If it takes 1 hour for a cup of water to freeze at 0 C and boil at 100 F, then it will take 1 hour in Fahrenheit to freeze at 9 F and boil at 180 F. F and boil at 5 F.
- To convert Celsius to Kelvin, multiply by 9/5 and subtract 32: For example: If it takes 1 hour for a cup of water to freeze at 0 C and boil at 100 K, then it will take 1 hour at Kelvin to freeze at -32 K and boil at -100 K.
5 Differences Between Celsius And Fahrenheit
- The zero degrees of the Fahrenheit scale is 0 degrees Celsius. The zero degrees of the Celsius scale is -273.15 degrees Fahrenheit, however, this difference is not very significant in terms of temperature as both temperatures are close to each other.
- The Fahrenheit scale does not have a negative temperature reading. The Celsius scale does have a negative temperature reading. This means that if you cool water down to -40 degrees Celsius, you can add antifreeze and it will become ice and it will act like ice because it has reached a negative temperature reading. However, if you cool water down to below 0 degrees Celsius, it will be frozen solid and solidify into ice because it has reached a negative temperature reading on the Fahrenheit scale.
- The number “100” on the Fahrenheit scale represents the melting point of water at sea level and is called the triple point of water (or triple point of boiling). This number is also known as “the freezing point of water” on the Celsius scale. The number “100” on the Celsius scale represents the freezing point of water at sea level and is called the triple point of water (or triple point of freezing). This number is also known as “the boiling point of water” on the Fahrenheit scale.
- The Fahrenheit scale does not have a zero-degree temperature reading; there is no such thing as a negative temperature reading for the Fahrenheit scale. The Celsius scale has a negative temperature reading, which means that you can cool water down to -40 degrees Celsius and add antifreeze and it will become ice and act like ice because it has reached a negative temperature reading. However, if you cool water down to below 0 degrees Celsius, it will be frozen solid and solidify into ice because it has reached a negative temperature reading on the Fahrenheit scale.
- The Fahrenheit scale measures heat as energy while the Celsius scale measures heat as energy in Jou the triple point of water (or triple point of melting). This number is also known as “the boiling point of water” on the Fahrenheit scale.
- The Fahrenheit scale has a negative temperature reading that goes from 32 degrees to -40 degrees Celsius. The Celsius scale has a negative triple point of water (or triple point of freezing).
How To Convert From Celsius To Fahrenheit
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Convert the Celsius temperature to degrees Fahrenheit.
To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius temperature by 1.8. For instance, if you have a reading of 30 degrees Celsius, multiply this by 1.8 to get a reading of 66 degrees Fahrenheit:
(30 °C) x 1.8 = 66 °F
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Convert the Fahrenheit temperature to degrees Celsius:
To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, divide the Fahrenheit temperature by 9; for example, if you have a reading of 96 degrees Fahrenheit, divide this by 9 to get a reading of 33 °C:
(96 °F) ÷ 9 = 33 °C
Example: To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, divide 96 by 9. This gives you a value of 33. The Celsius temperature equivalent is 66, so this reading is equivalent to 0 degrees Celsius.
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Add the two readings together to get a new temperature in degrees Celsius.
To add the two readings together, multiply them by 5, then divide this answer by 9 to give you the final temperature in degrees Celsius:
(66 + 33) x 5 = 266 °C (266 + 33) ÷ 9 = 66 °C (66 x 5) ÷ 9 = 266 °C
Example: To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, multiply 96 by 5 and divide this answer by 9. This gives you a value of 266. The Celsius temperature equivalent is 66, so this reading is equivalent to 0 degrees Celsius.
Conclusion
We’ve explored the differences between Celsius and Fahrenheit, along with how to convert between the two scales. Although the scales are different, they are both used to measure the same thing: the quantity of heat. These scales are most commonly used when talking about temperature – whether that is the surface temperature of the Earth, the air temperature inside a building, or the temperature of the water.
