Convert Delisle to Newton easily.

Ever stumbled upon an 18th-century recipe or scientific paper that mentions temperatures in Delisle or Newton? These antique scales might seem baffling at first, but they’re fascinating relics from the early days of thermometry. Whether you’re a history buff, a student, or just curious, this guide will unravel the mystery of converting Delisle to Newton. Let’s get started.

Unit definitions

What is a Delisle (°De)?

The Delisle scale was invented in 1732 by French astronomer Joseph-Nicolas Delisle. It’s one of the few temperature scales that decreases as heat increases. Water boils at 0°De and freezes at 150°De under standard conditions. The symbol °De represents degrees Delisle. Though obsolete today, it was widely used in Russia for nearly a century.

What is a Newton (°N)?

Sir Isaac Newton proposed this scale in 1701. He used linseed oil’s freezing and boiling points as references, later aligning it with water. On the Newton scale, water freezes at 0°N and boils at 33°N. The symbol °N stands for degrees Newton. While never widely adopted, it’s a key milestone in thermal measurement history.

Conversion formula

To convert Delisle to Newton, use this formula:
°N = (100 - °De) × 11/50
Or simplified:
°N = (100 - °De) × 0.22

Example calculations

1. Converting 300°De to Newton:
   °N = (100 - 300) × 0.22 = (-200) × 0.22 = -44°N
   (That’s colder than liquid nitrogen!)
2. Converting 50°De to Newton:
   °N = (100 - 50) × 0.22 = 50 × 0.22 = 11°N
   (Similar to a cool spring day.)

Conversion tables

Delisle to Newton (0–150°De)

Newton to Delisle (0–33°N)

Historical background

The Delisle scale owes its existence to a request from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Joseph-Nicolas Delisle, then working in St. Petersburg, created it for meteorological observations. Its inverted numbering system (higher numbers for colder temps) made it intuitive for tracking Russia’s harsh winters. The scale was so benificial to early climate studies that it remained in use until the mid 1800s.

Newton’s foray into thermometry predates Delisle’s by three decades. His original apparatus used linseed oil thermometers, calibrated to seasonal temperature extremes. Though superseded by Fahrenheit and Celsius, Newton’s work laid groundwork for standardized measurement. Fun fact: his scale was first presented in a 1701 lecture titled “Scala Graduum Caloris” (Scale of Degrees of Heat).

Interesting facts

1. Upside-Down Scale: Delisle’s 0°De marked boiling water, while 150°De represented freezing – the opposite of modern scales.
2. Newton’s DIY Thermometer: He crafted his first thermometers using hollowed-out beef bones as tubes.
3. Russian Resilience: Delisle thermometers were preferred in Siberia due to their fine gradations for extreme cold.
4. Double Duty: Newton’s scale was initially designed to measure both temperature and the expansion of oils.
5. Meteorological Legacy: Over 30,000 Delisle-scale readings exist from 18th-century Russian weather stations.

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