this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Celsius tried to fit too much into 100 notches to please big math.

F is more nuanced with more notches, but the ends aren't logical. It coukd be shifted perhaps, but how?

If freezing was moved to 0, then water boiling would be 180

Perhaps C could have had a 200 degree range, then it would be closer to F and not so hard to convert.

But also: Scientists are important and we shouldn't make it too easy, it demeans their work. Maybe make the C scale show water boiling at 183.4521 degrees so scientific calculations are more impressive-looking and respectable.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 months ago (1 children)

and not so hard to convert

"Please change the entire world's system to make it easier for the one country that uses a different one"

[–] Skymt 18 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The SI unit scales are chosen to fit together to avoid "respectable" scientific calculations.

To heat one milliliter (1 ml) of water one degree Celsius (1 °C) you need one calorie (1 cal) of energy.

Also the dimensions of one milliliter, is one cubic centimeter (1 cm^3), and that amount of water weighs 1 gram (1 g).

Thus 1 liter of water needs 1 kcal of energy to heat up 1 °C.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago

I'm aware, taught that in school.

Also aware of the real world, those things don't mesh the same at altitude.

In theory, reality and theory are the same. In reality, they're not.

I love science when it's not treated like a religion.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago

It's not limited to 100 steps. The decimal system gives you infinite granularity.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

then it would be closer to F and not so hard to convert.

So few countries use Fahrenheit that this shouldn't even be a consideration