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xkcd #3001: Temperature Scales (xkcd.com)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/xkcd

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In my new scale, °X, 0 is Earths' record lowest surface temperature, 50 is the global average, and 100 is the record highest, with a linear scale between each point and adjustment every year as needed.

https://explainxkcd.com/3001/

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[–] someguy3 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I once read that circular thermometers were a thing and that's why fahrenheit has 180° between freezing and boiling.

[–] ikidd 12 points 1 month ago

I think a degree F was 1/10,000 of the volume of mercury he happened to use in his first thermometer. The 180 was probably a coincidence because bimetal spring thermometers came along later.

[–] TheTetrapod 1 points 1 month ago

I've heard this too. It also allows for easily making your own thermometer, since you can just divide by 2 until you get all the way down to degrees.