Temperature Scales

Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin thermodynamic scales.

Showing 7 items

British temperature remains split between Celsius for science and Fahrenheit for sensationalist summer headlines. Behind both sit the historical scales that got there first: Réaumur, Rømer and Newton, each an attempt to put reproducible numbers to degrees of heat.

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Temperature

Celsius (°C)

The metric temperature scale officially adopted across the UK during metrication in the 1970s.

Water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C

Temperature

Fahrenheit (°F)

The standard British temperature scale used across weather and daily life until the late 20th century.

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

Temperature

Kelvin (K)

The absolute thermodynamic temperature scale used in scientific and engineering research.

Absolute scale where 0 K = -273.15°C

Temperature

Newton Scale (°N)

One of the earliest numbered temperature scales, devised by Isaac Newton around 1700 using linseed oil as the working fluid.

1°N = 3.03°C

Temperature

Rankine (°R)

An absolute temperature scale using Fahrenheit-sized degrees, proposed by the Glasgow engineer William John Macquorn Rankine in 1859.

Absolute scale where 0°R = -459.67°F

Temperature

Réaumur (°Ré)

A scale devised by René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur in 1730, setting the freezing point of water at 0 and its boiling point at 80.

1°Ré = 1.25°C

Temperature

Rømer (°Rø)

A scale created by the Danish astronomer Ole Rømer in 1701, setting a brine freezing mixture at zero and body temperature near 22.5.

1°Rø = 1.905°C