degree Fahrenheit
The Fahrenheit scale () is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736). It uses the degree Fahrenheit (symbol: °F) as the unit. Several accounts of how he originally defined his scale exist, but the original paper suggests the lower defining point, 0 °F, was established as the freezing temperature of a solution of brine made from a mixture of water, ice, and ammonium chloride (a salt). The other limit established was his best estimate of the average human body temperature, originally set at 90 °F, then 96 °F (about 2.6
AI overview
A degree Fahrenheit is a unit of temperature measurement based on a scale created by physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in 1724, which originally used the freezing point of a salt-water solution as its zero point and human body temperature as its upper reference. This scale matters because it became one of the primary ways people measure and communicate temperature in everyday life, particularly in countries like the United States.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Unit.name
- Fahrenheit
- Unit.image
- Raumthermometer Fahrenheit+Celsius.jpg
- Unit.caption
- Thermometer with Fahrenheit (marked on outer bezel) and Celsius (marked on inner dial) degree units
- Unit.standard
- Imperial/US customary
- Unit.quantity
- Temperature
- Unit.symbol
- °F
- Unit.namedafter
- Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit
- Unit.convertfromx
- yes
- Unit.units1
- Kelvin
- Unit.inunits1
- ( + 459.67) K
- Unit.units2
- Celsius
- Unit.inunits2
- ( − 32) °C
Article
15 sectionsContents
- Definition and conversion
- Conversion (specific temperature point)
- Conversion (temperature difference or interval)
- History
- Usage
- General
- United States
- Canada
- European Union
- United Kingdom
- Unicode representation of symbol
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
The Fahrenheit scale () is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736). It uses the degree Fahrenheit (symbol: °F) as the unit. Several accounts of how he originally defined his scale exist, but the original paper suggests the lower defining point, 0 °F, was established as the freezing temperature of a solution of brine made from a mixture of water, ice, and ammonium chloride (a salt). The other limit established was his best estimate of the average human body temperature, originally set at 90 °F, then 96 °F (about 2.6 °F less than the modern value due to a later redefinition of the scale).
For much of the 20th century, the Fahrenheit scale was defined by two fixed points with a 180 °F separation: the temperature at which pure water freezes was defined as 32 °F and the boiling point of water was defined to be 212 °F, both at sea level and under standard atmospheric pressure. It is now formally defined using the Kelvin scale.