In our time, it is impossible to live without measurements. Measure length, volume, weight and temperature. There are several units of measure for all measures, but there are also
generally recognized. They are used almost all over the world. To measure the temperature in the International system of units use degrees Celsius, as the most convenient. Only the United States and Britain still use the less accurate Fahrenheit scale.
Temperature Measurement History
The concept of temperature was known to people in ancient times. They could determine that some object is colder or warmer than another. But the need for accurate measurements did not arise until the time when production appeared. Metallurgy, steam engines could not work without an accurate determination of the degree of heating of objects. Therefore, scientists began to work on the creation of methods for measuring temperature.
The first such known system was the Fahrenheit scale. The German physicist Gabriele Fahrenheit in 1724 proposed taking the melting temperature of the ice-salt mixture as 0 degrees. According to our usual scale, this is about -21 about . For 100 about the scientist suggested taking the normal temperature of the human body. This system was not entirely accurate, but is still used in the United States, because they do not have frosts more than 21 degrees.
What other temperature scales exist
The 17-18th century is a time of development of science and technology. Many scientists have tried to create their own temperature scale. By the end of the 18th century, there were already about 20. But only a few began to be used.
Reaumur scale
The French physicist Rene Antoine Ferscho de Reaumur proposed the use of alcohol in thermometers. In 1730, he took as the reference point 0 o , the freezing point of water. But he took the boiling point for 80 about . After all, when the temperature changed by 1 ° C, the alcohol solution that he used in the thermometer changed by 1 ml. It was
uncomfortable, although such a scale has long existed in France and in Russia.
Celsius
It was proposed in 1742 by the Swedish scientist Anders Celsius. The temperature scale was divided by 100 ° between the freezing point and the boiling point of water. Degrees Celsius is still the most common temperature unit in the world.
Kelvin scale
In the 19th century, with the development of thermodynamics, it became necessary to create a convenient scale for calculations that would allow you to relate the pressure, volume and temperature of the steam. The English physicist Thompson, who was named after Lord Kelvin, suggested that absolute zero be considered as a reference point. Celsius degrees were used for measurement and these two scales still exist together.
How was the Celsius scale created?
At first, the scientist proposed to consider the boiling point of water as 0 °, and the freezing point as 100 ° . We still use degrees Celsius to measure temperature, although the idea itself belonged to Carlo Renaldini. It was he who proposed the use of boiling and freezing points of water back in 1694.
The first thermometer based on the ideas of Celsius was used by Carl Linnaeus in 1744 to monitor plants. Created by Daniel Extrem, a great contribution to bringing the scale to a modern look was made by the scientist Martin Stremer. It was their thermometer for the first time, 0 degrees Celsius, that showed the freezing temperature of water, and 100 - its boiling point.
This system was very convenient and began to spread around the world. True, at first it was called the "Extrem scale" or the "Stremer scale". And only in 1948 it was officially recognized, named after Celsius and adopted throughout the world.
Celsius scale application
Now almost all countries use this particular temperature measurement system. After all, the freezing point of water is the same in all corners of the globe and does not depend on pressure. And water is the most abundant substance on Earth. Therefore, now every child knows the sign of the degree of Celsius.