Yes, but eventually the time must be corrected with leap seconds because of all the randomness that accumulates. It is interesting that the leap seconds correction is always a positive number. We never seem to gain time that I'm aware of. argh....
Jerry At 05:35 PM 5/8/2012, you wrote: >Because the length of the second is essentially arbitrary. There is >nothing 'fundamental' or 'universal' about it. It is essentially derived >from the average rotational period of the earth, which is a random number. > >When the number of cycles was defined, they picked the nearest whole >number to an integral number of cycles, and re-defined the second to be >that. > >-John > >================ > > > > > >> I've gotten myself confused ...easily done when you're not a physicist >> (just >> a lowly EE.) :-) >> >> I am studying cesium clock design and trying to learn how these complex >> instruments actually work. I seem to be getting the understanding on the >> 'workings' of the clock ...the tube, the counters, disciplining, etc. >> >> But I have a higher level question I need help understanding. (Remember >> ...not a physicist here.) >> >> Who decided 9,192,631,770 cycles of 'light' constitute one second? I >> don't >> mean who the person was, or which company or institution or when. >> >> I ask, why not ...771 cycles ...or ...669 cycles???? >> >> What I need is the understanding of what a 'second' is defined to be >> without >> having the definition of a 'second' to begin with. >> >> This seems all so recursive to me. >> >> Thank you. (remember - - you guys said there were no dumb questions - - >> or >> at least, we should ask them anyway.) >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe, go to >> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> >> > > > >_______________________________________________ >time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] >To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >and follow the instructions there. Jerry Mulchin _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
