Fahrenheit
Temperature scale
Summary
The Fahrenheit scale is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736). It uses the degree Fahrenheit as the unit. Several accounts of how he originally defined his scale exist, but the original paper suggests the lower defining point, 0 °F, was established as the freezing temperature of a solution of brine made from a mixture of water, ice, and ammonium chloride. The other limit established was his best estimate of the average human body temperature, originally set at 90 °F, then 96 °F.
Originally created by Derek Ross
11/18/2001, 10:52:35 PM
Modified
5/25/2026, 6:47:39 PM
Recent revisions
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[[Wikipedia:OABOT|Open access bot]]: doi updated in citation with #oabot.
Reverted 1 edit by [[Special:Contributions/Juicy Lion|Juicy Lion]] ([[User talk:Juicy Lion|talk]]) to last revision by Preimage
/* History */ Original definition of 0 °F: note unreliability (Friend 1937, Machin 2024); adapted from text just added to [[Frigorific mixture#Ice]]
Merging [[:Category:1724 introductions]] to [[:Category:1724 beginnings]] and [[:Category:1720s introductions]] per [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2026 March 26#Pre-1800 introductions]]
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Added link to Bermuda to improve consistency with other countries mentioned.
Reverted 1 pending edit by [[Special:Contributions/~2025-34926-49|~2025-34926-49]] to revision 1334824050 by Swoonfed: No source provided.
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Undid revision [[Special:Diff/1334823644|1334823644]] by [[Special:Contributions/~2026-53758-8|~2026-53758-8]] ([[User talk:~2026-53758-8|talk]]) its widely accepted as 98.6 F
/* History */ 98.2°F was the original tested measurement of oral human body temperature. Converted to Celsius it became 37° due to rounding but then back conversion to Fahrenheit became 98.6 which is due to decreased precision in the rounded celsius figure.
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rationalisation
