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Why was Celsius renamed? Do you know the story behind it?
Celsius, the temperature unit we often use in our daily lives, actually has a very interesting story behind it. It was first called "centigrade", but over time, this name was gradually ignored and replaced by Celsius, which was loyal to the name of its founder, Anders Celsius. Such changes not only reflect the pursuit of accuracy in the scientific community, but also demonstrate the evolution of human understanding of the natural world.
The origin of degrees Celsius
In 1742, Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius proposed a new temperature standard. In his original proposal, 0 degrees represented the boiling point of water and 100 degrees represented the freezing point of water. However, this data was later reversed by French physicist Jean-Pierre Christin, who set the freezing point to 0 degrees and the boiling point to 100 degrees. This change led to the widespread use of degrees Celsius, which has become the basis for modern temperature measurement.
"0 degrees represents the freezing point of water, and 100 degrees represents the boiling point of water. This is the main reason why degrees Celsius is widely accepted."
Why was it renamed Celsius?
The name "percentage" is derived from the Latin "centum" (one hundred) and "gradus" (step), which represents 100 degrees from the freezing point to the boiling point. However, this name may be confused with the angle measurement "gradian" in some languages. In order to eliminate this doubt, the International Committee of Weights and Measures officially renamed it "Celsius" in 1948 to better express respect for the founder and the scientific community's need for distinction.
"In 1948, the International Committee of Weights and Measures officially adopted the name Celsius, which solved the problem of confusion in unit names."
The relationship between degrees Celsius and other temperature measurement units
In the fields of science and engineering, the two units of temperature measurement, Celsius and Kelvin, often coexist. Celsius and Kelvin are equal in size, meaning researchers have the flexibility to use both units as needed. However, zero Kelvin (absolute zero) is equal to -273.15 °C, which means that the measurement of degrees Celsius is still based on a relative standard.
"The use of degrees Celsius is not limited to expressing specific temperatures, but can also express the range of changes in temperature."
How the evolution of science affects the definition of degrees Celsius
Over time, the definition of degrees Celsius has evolved as science has evolved. In the early days, degrees Celsius was defined based on the freezing and boiling points of water, but with advances in science and technology, these sources are no longer just the basis on which units are built. In 1948, the definition of degrees Celsius was changed to the triple point of water, which is the temperature at which water undergoes phase changes such as melting under specific conditions. This change reflects modern scientific requirements for measurement accuracy and consistency.
"The definition of degrees Celsius is constantly being improved to ensure the accuracy and reliability of scientific research."
Celsius in use
In today's world, degrees Celsius has become the standard temperature unit in most countries, especially in meteorological reporting and scientific research. In contrast, Fahrenheit is mainly used in a few countries like the United States. As the discussion on global climate change deepens, the application of degrees Celsius becomes more and more prominent and has become one of the basic languages in environmental protection and climate science research.
"In the context of global warming, the use of degrees Celsius focuses human attention on important issues related to climate change."
Future Outlook
As technology advances, the need for temperature measurement will only grow. Although Celsius is widely recognized around the world, it still faces challenges in how to enhance its synergy with other scales and in terms of measurement accuracy. Future scientific research will continue to explore and innovate on this point.
As the world pays increasing attention to the issue of climate change, should we re-evaluate our measurement units to more accurately reflect the real challenges we face?
