# Delisle to Newton (°De to °N)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/temperature/delisle-to-newton-scale/

To convert Delisle to Newton, use the formula: N = 33 - De x 11/50. The Delisle scale runs backwards compared to most temperature scales, with higher numbers indicating colder temperatures. 150 Delisle (freezing) = 0 degrees Newton, 0 Delisle (boiling) = 33 degrees Newton.

## Formula

°De via Kelvin to °N

## Conversion Table

| Delisle (°De) | Newton (°N) |
|---|---|
| 0 °De | 33 °N |
| 50 °De | 22.000000000001 °N |
| 100 °De | 10.999999999999 °N |
| 150 °De | 0 °N |
| 200 °De | -10.999999999999 °N |
| 250 °De | -22.000000000001 °N |
| 300 °De | -33 °N |
| 350 °De | -43.999999999999 °N |
| 400 °De | -55.000000000001 °N |
| 500 °De | -77 °N |
| 559 °De | -89.98 °N |

## Units

### Delisle (°De)

A historical inverted temperature scale invented by Joseph-Nicolas Delisle in 1732. Water boils at 0 °De and freezes at 150 °De. Higher numbers mean colder temperatures.

### Newton (°N)

A temperature scale devised by Isaac Newton around 1700. Water freezes at 0 °N and boils at 33 °N. Not to be confused with the newton unit of force.

## Background

This conversion bridges the 18th-century Russian-adopted Delisle scale with the Newton scale. Historical Russian temperature records from the era of Catherine the Great and earlier require this conversion for comparison with modern scientific data expressed in Newton units.

## Good to Know

The Delisle and Newton scales were created within 32 years of each other (Newton around 1700, Delisle in 1732) and both failed to become global standards. They represent the experimental period of thermometry when scientists were still debating what temperature even meant and how best to measure it. Celsius (1742) and Fahrenheit (1724) won that competition, and both Newton and Delisle became historical footnotes.

## FAQ

### How do you convert Delisle to Newton?

Use the formula N = 33 - De x 11/50. 150 Delisle (freezing) = 0 degrees Newton, 0 Delisle (boiling) = 33 degrees Newton.

### Why does the Delisle scale run backwards?

Delisle measured how far below the boiling point a temperature was. Higher numbers meant further from boiling, which means colder. This inverted logic was logical for his laboratory work but confusing for everyday use.

### When would you need to convert Delisle to Newton?

When interpreting historical Russian scientific records from the 18th-19th centuries and converting them to Newton for modern analysis or comparison.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### Did Isaac Newton know about the Delisle scale?

Newton created his temperature scale around 1700, about 32 years before Delisle created his in 1732. Newton was still alive when Delisle published, but there is no record of Newton commenting on it. Given that Newton's own scale also failed to gain widespread adoption, he might have sympathized with Delisle's eventual obsolescence.

### Are the Newton and Delisle scales the two most obscure temperature scales in regular conversion tables?

They are certainly contenders. Both were created by prominent scientists, both saw limited geographic adoption, and both were replaced by Celsius. The Newton scale saw almost no adoption outside Newton's own laboratory. The Delisle scale at least had a good run in Russia. In the obscurity competition, Newton's temperature scale 'wins' by losing.

### Is it confusing that both Isaac Newton's scale and 'newtons' as a force unit exist in physics?

Somewhat. The newton (lowercase) is the SI unit of force, named after Isaac Newton. The Newton temperature scale (capitalized) was also created by Isaac Newton. A physics student might encounter both in the same course, measuring temperature in Newton degrees and force in newtons. Context usually prevents confusion, but the overlap is a quirk of naming a unit and a scale after the same person.

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## See Also

- [Newton to Delisle](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/temperature/newton-scale-to-delisle/)