The Corvidan Archipelago uses a temperature scale based on the melting and boiling points of mercury. Mercury, the only metal which is liquid at room temperature, has always fascinated Corvidan scientists, and its unique properties have been studied in great detail. Early thermoscopes indicated temperature shifts using the thermal expansion of mercury contained in a thin glass tube. Once scientists sought to create a unit of temperature measurement, mercury's well-described properties were a natural reference point. This unit is referred to as Mercury-Height (Mh).
| Reference | Mercury-Height | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury melting point | 1 | -38 | -39 |
| Water melting point | 130 | 32 | 0 |
| Body temperature | 250 | 98 | 37 |
| Water boiling point | 457 | 212 | 100 |
| Mercury boiling point | 1296 | 674 | 356 |
The following equations can be used to roughly convert Mercury-Height to Fahrenheit or Celsius:
Mh = (F + 39) * 1.818 F = (Mh % 1.818) - 39
Mh = (C + 40) * 3.273 C = (Mh % 3.273) - 40
This scale, while useful for precision applications such as metallurgy or meteorology, is seen as overly cumbersome when describing the temperature variation experienced on a day-to-day basis. The scale used before the creation of Mercury-Height, called the color scale, is still used in casual conversation. It compares temperature ranges to the color spectrum visible in an open flame.
| Color | Feel | Mercury-Height | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-hot[Note 1] | Cold | 130 - 158 | 30 - 46 | 0 - 8 |
| Red-hot | Cool | 158 - 186 | 46 - 62 | 8 - 16 |
| Yellow-hot | Mild | 186 - 214 | 62 - 78 | 16 - 24 |
| Blue-hot | Warm | 214 - 242 | 78 - 94 | 24 - 32 |
| White-hot[Note 1] | Hot | 242 - 270 | 94 - 110 | 32 - 40 |