3 ms·

Why don't we recalibrate the atomic clocks, that are systematically running late? I assume that the variations in the Earth's rotations are not predictable, an

by pygy_ 15y ago

Why don't we recalibrate the atomic clocks, that are systematically running late? I assume that the variations in the Earth's rotations are not predictable, and that it is this impossible to do it exactly, but they could be conservatively slowed down in order to increase the delay between leap seconds.

ars 15y ago
The earth is slowing down. No matter how you calibrate the clocks, you'll constantly have to change it. At some point the second was accurate to the earth. And in any case the second is very precisely defined based on physical objects (specifically how long it takes an atom of cesium to oscillate a specific number of times). Changing it would ripple through all sorts of things, for example the length of objects would change (or more accurately the number we use to measure the length of an object would be different). The number used to represent the length of an object is based on how far light travels in a certain amount of time. Change that time, you change how far the light traveled, which would then give a new definition for how long a meter is.
- pygy_ 15y ago
  Then define two types of seconds. * The reference second, used for the metric system definitions and science in general. * The real-life second, based on the rotation of the earth. If you want to keep a Cesium reference for every day time, you can define the second as either 9,192,631,770 or 9,192,631,771 oscillations in a given proportion. X short seconds followed by Y long seconds, with the X/Y ratio decreasing daily. When X becomes 0, increment both numbers and start over.
  - ars 15y ago
    Are you trolling? Joking? A: How exactly do you propose changing the speed of millions of clocks worldwide to match your new second? B: Given that the entire difference is one second every year or so, I guess they could just adjust by one second every once in a while. i.e. you are back where you started.

by pygy_ 15y ago

ars 15y ago

The earth is slowing down. No matter how you calibrate the clocks, you'll constantly have to change it. At some point the second was accurate to the earth. And in any case the second is very precisely defined based on physical objects (specifically how long it takes an atom of cesium to oscillate a specific number of times). Changing it would ripple through all sorts of things, for example the length of objects would change (or more accurately the number we use to measure the length of an object would be different). The number used to represent the length of an object is based on how far light travels in a certain amount of time. Change that time, you change how far the light traveled, which would then give a new definition for how long a meter is.

pygy_ 15y ago
Then define two types of seconds. * The reference second, used for the metric system definitions and science in general. * The real-life second, based on the rotation of the earth. If you want to keep a Cesium reference for every day time, you can define the second as either 9,192,631,770 or 9,192,631,771 oscillations in a given proportion. X short seconds followed by Y long seconds, with the X/Y ratio decreasing daily. When X becomes 0, increment both numbers and start over.
- ars 15y ago
  Are you trolling? Joking? A: How exactly do you propose changing the speed of millions of clocks worldwide to match your new second? B: Given that the entire difference is one second every year or so, I guess they could just adjust by one second every once in a while. i.e. you are back where you started.