Fahrenheit (°F) – The American Temperature Scale

The Fahrenheit scale is widely used in the United States and some Caribbean nations. It was created by German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in 1724 and is based on three fixed points: 32°F (freezing point of water), 212°F (boiling point of water), and 98.6°F (average human body temperature).

History of the Fahrenheit Scale

Fahrenheit’s scale was initially based on a mixture of water, ice, and salt as the lowest calibration point. It was later refined to set 32°F as the freezing point of pure water and 212°F as its boiling point under standard atmospheric pressure.

Usage and Applications

• Weather Forecasting:Used in the U.S., Belize, and some island nations.
• Household Applications:Air conditioning, refrigeration, and oven settings.
• Medical Applications:Body temperature is often measured in Fahrenheit in the U.S.

Conversion Formulas

• To Celsius: (°F - 32) × 5/9
• To Kelvin: (°F - 32) × 5/9 + 273.15
• To Rankine: °F + 459.67
• To Réaumur: (°F - 32) × 4/9