Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 14/12/2011 18:46:17

Title: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: neilep on 14/12/2011 18:46:17

Dearest Clockologists,

They say ' A stopped clock tells the correct time twice a day '


Well, here's a stopped clock !


 [ Invalid Attachment ]

A Clock That Has Stopped Sometime Last Week !



Considering that time is a flowing kind of time thing that keeps moving forward...And to be really pedantic about the whole thing....can the clock ,which has stopped,  really truly tell the right time twice a day ?...After all..it is not  "with time"  ie:...it is stopped and even when a working clock reaches that time wouldn't time itself have to stop at the exact same indication for the stopped clock to be correct ?


whajafink ?


Hugs et les shmisheys




mwah mwah


neil
It's 18:46
xxxxxxxxxxx

Title: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: Geezer on 14/12/2011 20:20:10

That's a very good question. Our normal view of time is that it's a sort of "flowy" thing, but we can only really measure time by counting things that "tick". At the finest level of granularity we count off subatomic "ticks". Problem is, when we get down to really small scales (at the quantum level) we can't count events at all. I'm not even sure we can sense a direction of time at that level.

This is probably a slightly wonky explanation, but I'm sure I will get lambasted someone will correct any errors I may have made.

Title: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: Bored chemist on 14/12/2011 20:48:03

It is correct at just the point where it stops being a bit fast, but before it's a bit slow.

Title: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: Nizzle on 15/12/2011 06:22:14

Quote from: Geezer on 14/12/2011 20:20:10

That's a very good question. Our normal view of time is that it's a sort of "flowy" thing, but we can only really measure time by counting things that "tick". At the finest level of granularity we count off subatomic "ticks". Problem is, when we get down to really small scales (at the quantum level) we can't count events at all. I'm not even sure we can sense a direction of time at that level.

Well, in that case, even the most accurate atomic clock is never correct.
But if you forget any smaller division in time than the "second", that sheepy clock will be correct twice a day

Title: Re: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: Don_1 on 18/12/2011 12:34:11

Quote from: neilep on 14/12/2011 18:46:17

...And to be really pedantic about the whole thing....

If we are going to be really pedantic, then this clock would only be right once a day!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.universal-radio.com%2Fcatalog%2Fclocks%2F4437.jpg&hash=c649c6921c5afb1e8e1fbb6bdb18eb62)

Title: Re: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: widereader on 21/12/2011 13:14:36

A stopped clock can really be correct twice a day, but the problem is you do not when that time is correct.

Title: Re: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: Don_1 on 21/12/2011 13:42:22

It's 8 o'clock. The Goons (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcDF8t7aPaY)

Title: Re: Can A Stopped Clock Really be Correct Twice a Day ?
Post by: Bored chemist on 21/12/2011 13:46:47

Quote from: Don_1 on 18/12/2011 12:34:11

Quote from: neilep on 14/12/2011 18:46:17

...And to be really pedantic about the whole thing....

If we are going to be really pedantic, then this clock would only be right once a day!

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.universal-radio.com%2Fcatalog%2Fclocks%2F4437.jpg&hash=c649c6921c5afb1e8e1fbb6bdb18eb62)

Or, to be slightly more pedantic, it's right a little over 24 times a day- but in different time zones.