ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE
MEASUREMENT OF TEMPERATURE

NAME:________________________________ PERIOD: ____ DATE: ___________

We learned that a measurement is a comparison to a standard, and that a measurement is recorded as a number with a unit. The measurement of temperature is no exception. The standard in the International System of measurement (SI)  is the Celsius scale, and so units are labeled as degrees "C".  This scale of temperatures used to be called the Centigrade  scale, the name that its inventor gave to it. Later, the   name was changed to Celsius to honor its inventor, just as  the name Fahrenheit is used to honor the inventor of that temperature scale.

1. Look at a thermometer at home. Is it labeled in Fahrenheit, in Centigrade or in Celsius? Based on this, do you think it is an English measurement system or an SI system or both? If it does use SI, is an older version (with Centigrade) or newer (with Celsius)?

We learned that the SI standard for mass is the gram, and this was "invented"   by choosing the mass of one cubic centimeter of water as a standard. In a similar way, the Celsius scale uses the common and vital substance water to define standards for measurement.  Celsius decided to use the temperature at which water freezes as zero for his scale. This is also the temperature at which ice melts. In order to keep the scale logical, he chose the temperature at which water boils to set as 100 degrees. This is also the temperature at which water condenses (changes from a gas to a liquid).

2. What Fahrenheit temperature is the same as 0 degrees C?

3. What Fahrenheit temperature is the same as 100 degrees C?

4. How many Fahrenheit degrees are there between the melting point and the boiling point of water?

5. Why did Celsius call his scale the Centigrade scale?

6. Which is larger, 1 degree Celsius or 1 degree Fahrenheit? Remember that the Celsius scale goes from freezing to boiling in ___________ degrees, while the Fahrenheit scale measures the same change in temperature as it goes from __________ to ____________ degrees,which is a difference of ___________ degrees.

7. Each degree Celsius is ___________ degrees F, each degree F is ________ degrees C.

To mathematically convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, use the following formula: (F-32)*5/9 = degrees C

To mathematically convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, use the following formula: C*1.8+32 = degrees F

8. Fill in the missing temperatures in the following table (try a couple of the given conversions to check yourself):

(The easiest way by far to convert -40 104 40 is to find a thermometer with  both scales on it. It is not as  precise, but it is a good way to estimate the conversion - try it! )