Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: thedoc on 01/04/2012 10:35:01

Title: Centrigrade, or Celsius: which is correct?
Post by: thedoc on 01/04/2012 10:35:01

Matt | Model Concepts  asked the Naked Scientists:
     
Hello Chris,

I've been listening to your podcasts (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/) for ages and always wanted to send in my questions.

Celcius v Centigrade: Your guests have used both. And many specialists just say "C". So, which is it?

Love your programme (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/). You guys rock.

Be cool,
Matt

Matthew Attwell
Durban, South Africa
   
What do you think?

Title: Re: Centrigrade, or Celsius: which is correct?
Post by: lunar11 on 02/04/2012 23:01:57

For the sake of passing exams; The GCSE and A-level specification requires not Celsius but 'degree Celsius'

Title: Re: Centrigrade, or Celsius: which is correct?
Post by: CliffordK on 02/04/2012 23:14:41

Here are some historical notes.
http://chemistry.about.com/b/2012/01/24/difference-between-celsius-and-centigrade.htm

Apparently the original term was centigrade, for 100 degrees between freezing and boiling.

In 1948 when they changed the standards to be based on the triple point of water and absolute zero, the scale was renamed Celsius.  So, technically, Celsius would be the correct term now.

Title: Re: Centrigrade, or Celsius: which is correct?
Post by: Bored chemist on 03/04/2012 11:31:16

Just to confuse the issue, the Fahrenheit scale is also a centigrade scale.
The fixed points were the freezing point of the eutectic mixture of ice and salt (at about -18C) and body temperature (at about 37C).
Then they re-standardised the F scale to give 212 as the steam point which moved typical body temperature a bit away from 100.

Title: Re: Centrigrade, or Celsius: which is correct?
Post by: yor_on on 03/04/2012 15:15:08

Yes thank you.
It worked.

I am confused..

I will hereafter refer to temperature as hot, cold, and tepid..