there's more precision in fahreinheit, why do others keep using celsius?

[dainthomas]

BTW, Just read up on the wikipedia where the Fahrenheit scale came from. It is the freezing point of brine to the freezing point of water. 0 to 32. Later it was adjusted so that the number of degrees between freezing water and boiling water was 180.

Oh, no! 180 is so much harder to remember than 100! I'll have to count all my fingers and toes so many times I'm bound to lose track!

And only a crappy scientist would see water begin to boil and conclude it was exactly 100 degrees C. Unless he knew the atmospheric pressure was exactly 1013.25 hPa.

 

[daw123]

I don't understand how Kelvin would be more beneficial than Celsius, since 1C = 1K. Its just that the zero points are different. If we changed to K, then our everyday numbers would increase by 273 - where's the benefit in that?

The people I could see it slightly benefiting are the scientists and if they aren't capable of adding 273 to a Celsius temperature, then they should change professions.

 

[QuantumPion]

Word. Fuck negative degrees. 0 is the end all, be all.

Actually the Kelvin scale does have negative degrees, although they don't mean exactly what you might think

 

[sandorski]

Celsius is NEAR 0 for freezing water (even in ideal lab conditions, it isn't exactly 0°C), and is rarely at 100 for boiling water (it is often several degress off due to air pressure variations). And the temperature for both depends a lot on the number of nucleation points available (water will stay liquid far below 0°C if there are no nucleation points). Plus using water for your calibration is arbitrary anyways. Why not ethanol or any other common chemical?

Fahrenheit at least has the advantages of:
1: being weather related (most of the world is between 0°F and 100°F and extremes on either side of that range are a health hazzard).
2: being nicely tuned to heath. A temperature above 100°F is a fever. Why would you want to memorize 38°C when 100°F is easier? Note: using human health is just as arbitrary as using water.
3: matching the precision of human feeling. We can tell the difference between temperatures that are roughly 1°F apart. A 1°F change in the outside temperature or the thermostat is just enough to notice. Like the OP said, 1°C is just too coarse of a temperature range and you are forced to go with decimals.

But, in the end both suck. Neither have an absolute zero at 0. Rankine is the best of all worlds. A true zero and temperature intervals that match human touch.

Water is Common and easily available to anyone. That's why it was used.

 

[hanoverphist]

Your baking a meal, the recipe is for 2 people, you need to serve 20. Get back to me when you are finished converting tsp to tbsp to cups to pints to quarts to gallons. Ill just multiply the whole thing by ten instead.

For people that work heavily with measurements, the ability to convert quickly is pretty important. It is far less error prone.

But again, I don't see a good reason to switch the temperature scale.

99.999% of recipes are for 4-5 servings, so converting to 20 would be a pain regardless of measuring system used.

i have a bread recipe that calls for 7/8 cup of sugar.


none of this matters, as my measuring cups have cups, oz and some other measurement that i always ignore.

 

[IronWing]

OP: You can edit the title if you go to advanced mode.

 

[IronWing]

Actually the Kelvin scale does have negative degrees, although they don't mean exactly what you might think

Nope. Kelvin was invented specifically for Kelvin Klein because he was so cool they had to give him his own temperature scale. Until someone even cooler comes along Kelvin is da bomb.

 

[Instan00dles]

I use the darkxshade scale... today is either:

Hot
Warm
Perfect
Cool
Cold

With my scale you are free to use prefixes... "Today is fucking hot" for example is more precise than either Celsius or Fahreinheit. Please adopt today!

That works for me, would love a thermometer for outside my window that went from fucking cold to fucking hot.

 

[MotF Bane]

That works for me, would love a thermometer for outside my window that went from fucking cold to fucking hot.

http://www.thefuckingweather.com/

 

[FoBoT]

I don't understand how Kelvin would be more beneficial than Celsius, since 1C = 1K. Its just that the zero points are different. If we changed to K, then our everyday numbers would increase by 273 - where's the benefit in that?

bigger is better, why do you think they change rules in NFL, NBA and MLB to have more offense? to get higher scores, people like bigger numbers in 21st century

 

[sandorski]

An Experiment in "Precision"

Take 4 Rooms, 2 for Celsius, 2 for Fahrenheit

C
Room 1 is 20c
Room 2 is 21c
F
Room 1 is 70F
Room 2 is 71F

Take X Amount of People who are familiar with both systems, have them enter each room with the knowledge of the 2 Temps for each system known to them beforehand, but not knowing the actual Temp within any particular room. Have them choose what Temp is in each room.

I postulate that the results between C and F would be identical, that being approx 50/50 Correct/Incorrect. Thus disproving any kind of "Precision".

 

[daw123]

bigger is better, why do you think they change rules in NFL, NBA and MLB to have more offense? to get higher scores, people like bigger numbers in 21st century

Whats NFL, NBA and MLB - is that similar to football and rugby?

 

[Damn Dirty Ape]

perhaps we should get with the rest of the civilized world.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

I know the boiling and freezing point in C.
what i'm saying it's not applicable in everyday use, namely describing the weather.

Are you seriously retarded, or are you just trolling? Canada, Europe...indeed most of the world outside the US, measures in Celsius, and it makes a lot of sense.

If there's precipitation outside and it's above 0 C (positive values), you generally have rain (might be freezing rain). If it's 0 C or below (negative values), you generally have snow.

Above 0 C, any ice is melting. Below 0 C, you know to expect ice and slippery conditions on roads and sidewalks.

Seems pretty simple and useful to me.

 

[dighn]

I know the boiling and freezing point in C.
what i'm saying it's not applicable in everyday use, namely describing the weather.

The rest of the world finds C applicable enough for everyday use. I think in terms of Celsius and it has never given me any trouble, well, except when I get temperatures from Americans who insist on using ass backward units.

If you want to talk about everyday use, does a 0.444 Celsius difference in precision really matter? And let's not forget decimal points. It can be as precise as you need it to be.

 

[sandorski]

As far as C vs F vs K is concerned

F is part of a completely arbitrary system. Consisting of Fixed values amongst the Whole of the measuring system, that being the Imperial System. This requires the Memorization of not only Values, but even Mathematic Formulas for Conversion between different measures within a certain type of Measurement: For eg: inches/ft/yards/Miles are all Arbitrary amounts within Distance; Ounces/Pints/Quarts/Gallons are all Arbitrary amounts within Volume.

C is part of a Mathematical system. All Fixed Values are derived through Mathematics and not some long dead persons dimensions(like much of the measurements used in the Imperial system). Not only are the Fixed Values Mathematically defined, but all the various ways of stating a Measurement are Mathematically related. For eg: mm/cm/dm/M/KM are all easily derived through simple Mathematics, 1000mm=100cm=10dm=1M=0.0001KM.

Not only are C measurements Mathematical within a particular measurement type(Volume, Distance, Temperature), but there are extensive Mathematical relationships between the measurement types. This allows for Verification of the various Measures, thus giving the Metric system a high degree of Accuracy and a strong Scientific basis.

K is also a Mathematical system. Fixed Values are based on Absolutes, which makes it the most accurate of any system. This is very useful for Science and particularly for certain fields of Science that require measurements close to the Absolute.

It's not so good for Day-to-day common usage though. Mainly because it lacks the intuitiveness of F or C. For eg: 0C/32F=273K, 50C/122F=323K, both C/F give values that make more sense to People and their everyday lives, simply because 0C or near 0F denotes a point of significant change. 0C approaches a Danger point as does 50C.

If everyone used and were taught K, I suppose "Intuitiveness" wouldn't matter so much, but it would seem to be as Arbitrary a Temp Measuring system for Day-to-Day Life as F. Add in that Conversions from C to K is relatively simple and you have little reason to replace C with K.

***Not a Mathematician, Rocket Scientist, College Grad, recent High School Grad, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night. Just from what I remember and/or have picked up over the years. I'm sure some of it is wrong or not entirely accurate, but it's basically correctish.***

 

[Fenixgoon]

Fahrenheit isn't more precise than celcius, it just has smaller intervals between degrees.

this.

edit:

Sandorski,

All measurement systems are completely arbitrary in that you're simply defining a linear set of numbers to describe two points (or multiple points). The only system with any scientific backing is the Kelvin (absolute; ideal gas) system. 0K is the (extrapolated) temperature at which an ideal gas would theoretically have 0 volume. Celsius, conveniently, happens to be C = K + 273.15

The metric length system is based on the length of a metal (platinum i think?) rod at a certain temperature equaling 1 meter, IIRC. All other divisions (kilo, centi, milli, etc.) are simply multiples or fractions of the defined base unit (1 meter). The meter was also defined at one point based on the distance between the north and south poles, I think.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

That's because Celsius uses 0 as the freezing point of water and 100 as the boiling point of water. That makes it easier to use and understand. Same with the rest of the metric system.

You are confusing Centigrade with Celsius...

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Celsius, conveniently, happens to be C = K + 273.15

You might want to check that...

 

[sandorski]

this.

edit:

Sandorski,

All measurement systems are completely arbitrary in that you're simply defining a linear set of numbers to describe two points (or multiple points). The only system with any scientific backing is the Kelvin (absolute; ideal gas) system. 0K is the (extrapolated) temperature at which an ideal gas would theoretically have 0 volume. Celsius, conveniently, happens to be C = K + 273.15

The metric length system is based on the length of a metal (platinum i think?) rod at a certain temperature equaling 1 meter, IIRC. All other divisions (kilo, centi, milli, etc.) are simply multiples or fractions of the defined base unit (1 meter). The meter was also defined at one point based on the distance between the north and south poles, I think.

Certainly at the very Base of Metric there is some arbitrariness, however, it is still Based upon some very consistent factors. IIRC it was the N Pole to the Equator to derive M? Whatever it originally was it remains as a way to re-verify the Measurement with great accuracy. If, as you say, it is now verified with a Platinum Bar/Rod/whatever, it is very likely so specific in the requirements as to be exceedingly accurate. That's the advantage with the Metric system, even if Civilization were wiped out and some future Civilization discovered the Basic Proofs, they could recreate the whole System(if they hadn't on their own already) with near 100% results with what we have today.

 

[Fenixgoon]

You might want to check that...

probably. i remembered it being more of convenience than by design, but i'm too lazy to dust off any books that might explain it.

also, why can't i quote a quote? lame vB

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

An Experiment in "Precision"

Take 4 Rooms, 2 for Celsius, 2 for Fahrenheit

C
Room 1 is 20c
Room 2 is 21c
F
Room 1 is 70F
Room 2 is 71F

Take X Amount of People who are familiar with both systems, have them enter each room with the knowledge of the 2 Temps for each system known to them beforehand, but not knowing the actual Temp within any particular room. Have them choose what Temp is in each room.

I postulate that the results between C and F would be identical, that being approx 50/50 Correct/Incorrect. Thus disproving any kind of "Precision".

you win.
for presenting a clear solution, but more importantly for understanding the point of the thread.
everyone else is too busy trying to explain that decimals can be used in Celsius to increase precision, because apparently they are that much smarter than i am.
i had no idea that you can use decimals with C until they schooled me.

 

[yuchai]

You can argue all day long which system "makes more sense". But the truth is, the system that makes sense for people is the one that they grew up with and are familiar with.

In my mind, the best system is the *one* system that everyone uses so there's no confusion/conversion needed. Over 95% of the world's population already uses 1 system. It boggles my mind why we still need two systems for the same measurement when such an overwhelming majority of people is already using one over the other.

It's not even that big of a deal to get used to a different system. I know because I grew up using the Celsius scale and moved to the US. You can get used to it in like 1 year (just so you take in the range of temperatures of the 4 seasons).

 

[KeithTalent]

you win.
for presenting a clear solution, but more importantly for understanding the point of the thread.
everyone else is too busy trying to explain that decimals can be used in Celsius to increase precision, because apparently they are that much smarter than i am.
i had no idea that you can use decimals with C until they schooled me.

Everyone knows this.

KT

 

[torpid]

C is part of a Mathematical system. All Fixed Values are derived through Mathematics and not some long dead persons dimensions(like much of the measurements used in the Imperial system). Not only are the Fixed Values Mathematically defined, but all the various ways of stating a Measurement are Mathematically related. For eg: mm/cm/dm/M/KM are all easily derived through simple Mathematics, 1000mm=100cm=10dm=1M=0.0001KM.

Not only are C measurements Mathematical within a particular measurement type(Volume, Distance, Temperature), but there are extensive Mathematical relationships between the measurement types. This allows for Verification of the various Measures, thus giving the Metric system a high degree of Accuracy and a strong Scientific basis.

I don't understand your point here. The system as a whole is the subject of the above paragraphs without any real discussion of the particular unit of measurement in question. I've never heard of a "milliCelsius" or a "kiloCelsius" and I don't think anyone uses those. How is celsius dervied mathematically any more than Fahrenheit? In either case you can get a baseline by boiling or freezing water in a lab setting with specific conditions.