Which scientist introduced the Centigrade temperature scale, later called the Celsius scale, with 0° for the freezing point and 100° for the boiling point of water?

Introduction / Context:
Temperature scales are reference systems used to measure how hot or cold something is. Many everyday thermometers use a scale in which water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees at standard pressure. This scale was originally called the Centigrade scale and is now commonly known as the Celsius scale. This question asks which scientist introduced this important temperature scale.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scale in question has 0 degrees at the freezing point of water and 100 degrees at its boiling point.
• It was originally known as the Centigrade scale.
• The options include names associated with different temperature scales and inventions.
• We assume knowledge of basic physics and thermometry.

Concept / Approach:
Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomer, proposed a temperature scale that divided the interval between the freezing and boiling points of water into one hundred equal parts. His original arrangement had 0 degrees for boiling and 100 degrees for freezing, but it was later reversed to the modern form with 0 degrees as freezing and 100 degrees as boiling. This scale came to be known as the Centigrade scale and later was officially renamed the Celsius scale in his honour.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question is about a scale with 100 divisions between freezing and boiling, indicating the Centigrade or Celsius scale. Step 2: Recall that Anders Celsius introduced this scale and gave his name to it. Step 3: Recognise that Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit created another scale in which water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Step 4: Understand that William Thomson, later known as Lord Kelvin, proposed an absolute temperature scale, but not the centigrade one, and the Wright brothers worked on aviation, not thermometry. Step 5: Therefore, Anders Celsius is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Physics textbooks routinely state that the Celsius scale is named after Anders Celsius, while the Fahrenheit scale is named after Daniel Fahrenheit and the Kelvin scale after Lord Kelvin. The question clearly describes the Celsius arrangement, not the Fahrenheit or Kelvin arrangements. This direct correspondence between scale description and name provides a strong verification that Anders Celsius is the intended answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit: Introduced the Fahrenheit scale with different fixed points and interval sizes.
• William Thomson / Lord Kelvin: Proposed the Kelvin absolute temperature scale starting at absolute zero, not the 0 to 100 scale for water.
• Wright brothers: Pioneers in powered flight and aviation, unrelated to temperature scales.
• Lord Kelvin (as a separate name): Refers to the same person as William Thomson and still does not match the description of the Centigrade scale.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse Fahrenheit and Celsius because both names appear frequently in weather reports and science lessons. Another confusion arises between Celsius and Kelvin, since both scales are used in physics. To avoid these mix ups, remember that Anders Celsius designed the 0 to 100 degree water based scale, Fahrenheit designed the 32 to 212 degree scale and Kelvin provided an absolute scale starting at zero Kelvin.

Final Answer:
The Centigrade or Celsius temperature scale was introduced by Anders Celsius.