Second:
Duration of a second
- A second is defined as the time it takes to see exactly cycles of radiation produced by the transition between two levels of the atom at sea level.
- We currently use the atom because its resonance levels make it possible to manufacture very high-precision clocks.
- Atomic clocks are devices that are designed to measure the exact length of a second, which is the fundamental unit of modern timekeeping.
- The second was originally defined as of a day but in reality, this is difficult to nail down to high precision. This is because consists of and consists of and consists of .
- So, .
- Previously, the second was known as the "second minute", meaning the second minute, a small division of an hour.
- The first division was known as the "prime minute" and is equivalent to the minute we know today.
Thus, one second is equal to of a day.