HPR1432: Fahrenheit 212

Please consider recording an episode for Hacker Public Radio. We are a you-contribute podcast. :)

Ken requests an episode on Fahrenheit, which really requires discussion of the two temperature systems, and how they are quantified.

Terminology

Centigrade: old fashioned term for Celsius
Kelvin (K): less common measurement of temperature used for Science
Thermal Equilibrium: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermodynamic_equilibrium
Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeroth_law_of_thermodynamics
Absolute zero: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_zero

My personal preference is Celsius. Less numbers to deal with in everyday use.
Really Cold – Temperatures below 0°C
Really Hot – Temperatures above 30°C
The "American" thinking is temperatures go in 20's, 30's, 40's...etc. more work!
Obligatory gun discussion
Indirect conversation about PV = nRT formula
Correction: the absence of pressure (vacuum) causes water to boil.
Celsius and Fahrenheit are "measured" by the states of water boiling/freezing.

Celsius
freezes at 0°
boils at 100°

Fahrenheit
freezes at 32
boils 212°

1 (K) Kelvin = -273.15°C

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