Why keep fahrenheit?

[Jeffy-CanCon]

I was checking the TV weather the other day, and I was truck with the question: Why does the USA still use the Fahrenheit temperature scale?

I understand why the Metric system as a whole was not adopted, despite some plans in the mid 1970's. It would cost a lot to update laws, replace signs, weight scales, and other measuring devices, in addition to the cost of re-educating a public of 250M.

But the Celsius/centigrade temperature scale just makes so much more sense. Water freezes at 0, boils at 100. Room temperature is 20. Not much education cost, and there are few laws or public signage regarding temperature measurement.

[cphilip]

Yea but Zero sounds do much colder than 32!

:D

[Rumble]

ya! lets go celcius!! Woot!
serious tho, is there any good reason to keep ferinhight?

[Thordic]

We like it that way :)

In all honestly, I don't know. The one advantage is that since 1*C = ~1.8*F or around there, our units are more precise.

[cphilip]

sure there is... so I know how to dress properly when I watch the news.... and all my thermometers are Farenhiet. And all the years I been cooking I have known the temperatures of things to bake and internal meat temperatures by heart...in Farenhiet. I'd be lost without it.

[Big'n slo]

Originally posted by Jeffy-CanCon
Water freezes at 0, boils at 100. Room temperature is 20. Not much education cost, and there are few laws or public signage regarding temperature measurement.

Yeah, but what temp do we keep our beer at?

[p8ntball1016]

fahrenheit sounds warmer. so in the winter we should use fahrenheit, and in the summer use celcuis.

[MarkM]

We use Celsius but I still work in Fahrenhiet, I seriously can't get my head round all these low numbers especially in the summer. Celsius is a french plot to take over the world...come to think of it Fahrenhiet was german (certainly wasn't english) but then as we have a german royal family I guess it might have merit.

http://www.ukcougars.freeserve.co.uk/images/britainf.gif :D

[Mag89]

The metric system makes so much more sense and is alot easier to use than feet, inches, and miles.
http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/everyday.htm
Everything is connected in a logical way. Click the link to see what i am talking about

[Jeffy-CanCon]

Originally posted by Big'n slo


Yeah, but what temp do we keep our beer at?

Most lagers should be drank at about 7 C. I have no idea what that is in fahrenheit... 40? BTW - typical temperature for a refrigerator is about 4 C. We're drinking our beer too cold!
:(

[MarkM]

Here's a little bit of help for us all especially Unka Phil for when he is cremating his next meal.

CELSIUS/CENTIGRADE FAHRENHEIT
-40 deg. ...........-40 deg.


-17.8 deg. ...........0 deg.
-10 deg. ............14 deg.
0 deg. ...............32 deg.
5 deg. ...............41 deg.
10 deg ...............50 deg.
15 deg. ..............59 deg.
20 deg. ..............68 deg.
25 deg. ..............77 deg.
30 deg. ..............86 deg.
35 deg. ..............95 deg.
40 deg. .............104 deg.
50 deg. .............122 deg.
60 deg. .............140 deg.
70 deg. .............158 deg.
80 deg. .............176 deg.
90 deg. .............194 deg.
100 deg. ............212 deg.

Just to further confuse us all....

How to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit and vice versa

To convert Celsius into Fahrenheit

Multiply by 9, divide by 5 and add 32.

To convert Fahrenheit into Celsius

Subtract 32, multiply by 5 and divide by 9

:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Thordic]

Originally posted by MarkM

Multiply by 9, divide by 5 and add 32.


Instead of doing that, just multiply by 1.8 and add 32, and vice versa.

[SlartyBartFast]

Originally posted by MarkM
CELSIUS/CENTIGRADE FAHRENHEIT
-40 deg. ...........-40 deg.


Hmm. That;s the temperature around here right now....:eek:

[Big'n slo]

Originally posted by Jeffy-CanCon


Most lagers should be drank at about 7 C. I have no idea what that is in fahrenheit... 40? BTW - typical temperature for a refrigerator is about 4 C. We're drinking our beer too cold!
:(

Damn beers frozen right now! How in the heck am I going to enjoy a hockey game with frozen beer....eh?

[MarkM]

Originally posted by Thordic


Instead of doing that, just multiply by 1.8 and add 32, and vice versa.
And everyone knows their 1.8 times tables? ;) :D

[Jack_Dubious]

cause "Celsius 233" would have made a lousy book :p

JDub

[SlartyBartFast]

Originally posted by Jack_Dubious
cause "Celsius 233" would have made a lousy book :p

JDub

Now THAT's funny. :P

[SlartyBartFast]

Originally posted by Big'n slo
Damn beers frozen right now! How in the heck am I going to enjoy a hockey game with frozen beer....eh?

Water freezes, alcohol doesn't.

Strain the ice out of your American beer, you've got Canadian beer!:D

Well, I won't speak for the taste, but at least the alcohol percentage is raised a notch.:p

[e mag]

Originally posted by SlartyBartFast

Water freezes, alcohol doesn't.

I think it will freeze a little past -100C

[.tMan]

well,
I have traveled a lot and usually the countries I go to use C anyways. So it just kind of stuck with me.

[cphilip]

Ok I gonna use Celsius in Summer and Farenheit in the winter for outside temperature. Spring forward fall back... got it... Celsius for my beer and Farenheit for my cooking... Got it! :D :confused:

[1stdeadeye]

Why?

Because saying that it is 40 degrees outside and I am sweating my balls of sounds silly!:p

[FreakBaller12]

32 degrees would have to change their logo!
duhhh
it's not as cool as ice, it's hot!

[PyRo]

Because I could never get over being hot in 42 degree wether.

[Cryer]

Originally posted by toyotaboy12
32 degrees would have to change their logo!
duhhh
it's not as cool as ice, it's hot!

They'll just change their slogan... Much faster and cheaper...:p

[lopxtc]

Why not just goto Kelvin as a whole and save everyone (science geeks mostly) from having to convert. Even better ... in Kelvin 0 means 0 :)

Aaron

[MarkM]

Originally posted by lopxtc
Why not just goto Kelvin as a whole and save everyone (science geeks mostly) from having to convert. Even better ... in Kelvin 0 means 0 :)

Aaron

Kelvin: Water boils at 373.15 K and freezes at 273.15 K

still wanna go with Kelvin? :D

[lopxtc]

I used to work in a lab all the time ... I have no problem with Kelvin :)

Aaron

[slushee]

Originally posted by Jeffy-CanCon
Why does the USA still use the Fahrenheit temperature scale?

Quite simply, it's because they are still barbarians
;)

[bleachit]

I am going to have to agree with Grandpa Simpson on this subject. "The metric system is the tool of the devil..." So, I guess the U.S. is one of the few countries that still resists the devil. well at least when it comes to measurements.

[Lohman446]

Originally posted by MarkM

And everyone knows their 1.8 times tables? ;) :D

You evidently are not familar with the American school system - I saw the part about multiplying by 9 and dividing by 5 and immediatly decided I wouldn't do it without a calculator anyways - so yeh - typing in 1.8 on the calculator is much better than typing in x9 divided by 5. Less to remember too

[MarkM]

Well as I am english I would have great difficulty knowing the american system...I was taught under the english system where you didn't use calculators...they do now allow their use but not when I was at school (except the my last 3 years) and even then you had to state which model you used and dependant on the model your exam result was lowered if you had an expensive clever model. As I was always told, that if you are in a desert (or insert any wilderness) and needed calculations and your batterys were flat what will you do?
I found a great indication of falling standards a few years ago when I was out fishing and a young boy (about 10/11) came around with the normal questions of "what you caught mister?" etc, well after giving him the answers and as I was busy reeling in I asked him if he could look at the clock I had in my camp to tell me the time....he looked and told me he couldn't give me an answer as the clock was NOT a digital model!!

Oh as a side note I see the post I made that you have quoted is now in a signature :D :D

[tony3]

I don't think US should switch to metric any time soon. I mean, I know both of them, we had to learn them for school, and personally, if you want to use metric go for it, its a free country. Also, theres nothing that pisses me off more then metric screws on paintball stuff when I don't have a metric wrench set:(