Interesting Tip-Off Time

[Mark Padgett]

Although cultures have used hours to denote the passage of time for hundreds of years, the "second" is considered to be a metric unit. I once asked one of my college professors why. He said because the International Bureau of Weights and Measures says so.

Of course, that organization is located in France.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Although cultures have used hours to denote the passage of time for hundreds of years, the "second" is considered to be a metric unit.

It is also an English unit (foot-pound-second).

And the French don't define it, nature does. The second is the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom.

[dsqrddgd909]

Mbyron, Are you in the quality or metrology fields?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by mbyron

... The second is the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom.

If that is the measurement of a second how could it have been scientifically defined prior to the 20th Century?

And why is that the measurement?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

If that is the measurement of a second how could it have been scientifically defined prior to the 20th Century?

And why is that the measurement?

1. Prior to the development of chronometers capable of measuring microseconds, the sidereal second was sufficiently precise.

2. It matches a sidereal second pretty closely. If you're asking why cesium 133, I don't know the answer to that one. Sorry!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mbyron

1. Prior to the development of chronometers capable of measuring microseconds, the sidereal second was sufficiently precise.

2. It matches a sidereal second pretty closely. If you're asking why cesium 133, I don't know the answer to that one. Sorry!

2 is easy. cesium 132 wasn't quite long enough, and cesium 134 was too long.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

2 is easy. cesium 132 wasn't quite long enough, and cesium 134 was too long.

Finally something that makes sense in this silly thread.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by mbyron

1. Prior to the development of chronometers capable of measuring microseconds, the sidereal second was sufficiently precise.

2. It matches a sidereal second pretty closely. If you're asking why cesium 133, I don't know the answer to that one. Sorry!

MBryon:

You are my kind of guy: from NE Ohio; .

MTD, Sr.

Youngstown (Ohio) Liberty H.S., Class of 1969
Youngstown State Univ., Bach. of Civil Engr., Class of 1980
Trumbull Co. Bkb. Off. Assn., Member since 1971.

Actually, Doane's fifth game of the season, Nebraska-Omaha's season opener after an exhibition against Iowa State.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

Actually, Doane's fifth game of the season, Nebraska-Omaha's season opener after an exhibition against Iowa State.

And, since N-O is the home team, it's probably the first day D-II schools are allowed to have a contest.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by mbyron

It is also an English unit (foot-pound-second).

And the French don't define it, nature does. The second is the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom.

Is that your standard response to coaches clamoring for a '3 second call'?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Is that your standard response to coaches clamoring for a '3 second call'?

Yeah: "not enough Cs 133 periods, coach."

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Is that your standard response to coaches clamoring for a '3 second call'?

My standard response is, "Coach, that wasn't three seconds even in dog years."

BTW - are dog years metric? I hope not. WOOF.

[Mark Padgett]

BTW - I guess based on FEEBLE rules, trapezoids are metric.