How did the Fareinheit scale settle on 32 degrees as the freezing point of water instead of a more logical number - zero - like the Celsius scale?

The Fahrenheit temperature scale was developed by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, a German physicist and engineer, in the early 18th century. When Fahrenheit introduced his scale in 1724, he based it on a mixture of empirical observations and practical considerations. Unlike the Celsius scale, which is based on the freezing and boiling points of water under normal atmospheric pressure, Fahrenheit's scale initially used reference points related to temperature extremes he encountered in his daily life.

Fahrenheit's original scale set the zero point as the coldest temperature he could achieve with a specific mixture of ice and salt, while the upper reference point was tied to the average human body temperature. This choice of reference points reflected the practical concerns of the time, and Fahrenheit likely selected them for their relevance to the weather and human experience rather than adhering to a purely scientific standard.

The freezing point of water on the Fahrenheit scale was later established at 32 degrees, a value that seemed to work well in Fahrenheit's overall temperature range. The decision to set the freezing point at 32 degrees rather than zero, as in the Celsius scale, lacks a specific scientific justification and is more rooted in historical choices made by Fahrenheit during the scale's development. It's important to note that temperature scales are essentially arbitrary in their numerical values; what matters is the consistency and utility of the scale for the intended purpose. In the case of Fahrenheit, its continued use in the United States is largely due to historical precedence and familiarity rather than a fundamental superiority of its reference points.