Atomic clock - Wikipedia
An atomic clock is a clock that measures time by monitoring the resonant frequency of atoms. It is based on atoms having different energy levels. Electron states in an atom are associated with different energy levels, and in transitions between such states they interact with a very specific frequency of electromagnetic radiation.
How Do Atomic Clocks Work? - timeanddate.com
Atomic clocks are designed to measure the precise length of a second, the base unit of modern timekeeping. The International System of Units (SI) defines the second as the time it takes a caesium-133 atom in a precisely defined state to oscillate exactly:
What is an atomic clock and how does it work? - HowStuffWorks
2024年3月12日 · Atomic clocks use the resonance frequencies of atoms, such as cesium-133, which oscillates at a consistent frequency of 9,192,631,770 cycles per second, making them extremely accurate. Unlike pendulum or quartz clocks, atomic clocks are not affected by manufacturing tolerances or environmental factors like temperature.
What Is an Atomic Clock? - NASA
2019年6月19日 · Atomic clocks combine a quartz crystal oscillator with an ensemble of atoms to achieve greater stability. NASA’s Deep Space Atomic Clock will be off by less than a nanosecond after four days and less than a microsecond (one millionth of a second) after 10 years.
Atomic clock | Timekeeping, Accuracy & Benefits | Britannica
2024年11月15日 · atomic clock, type of clock that uses certain resonance frequencies of atoms (usually cesium or rubidium) to keep time with extreme accuracy. The electronic components of atomic clocks are regulated by the frequency of the microwave electromagnetic radiation.
Atomic Clocks | NIST
Atomic clocks have revolutionized how we tell time. These astoundingly accurate devices touch the lives of every person on Earth and keep us in sync no matter where we are. They make possible world-changing technologies such as GPS and help scientists explore some of the universe’s deepest mysteries.
How Do Atomic Clocks Work? - NIST
2024年8月22日 · Read on to learn how different atomic clocks work, how atomic clocks help us tell time, the history of this remarkable technology and how atomic clocks have opened up profound and sometimes unexpected advances in both technology and science.
What Is an Atomic Clock? - Popular Mechanics
2022年3月28日 · At a minuscule scale, an atomic clock employs the same fundamental processes as a grandfather clock or a wristwatch: it offers a periodic phenomenon that you can count. As a clock pendulum...
How Atomic Clocks Have Changed Our World - NIST
2024年11月4日 · The time on our phones, computers and smartwatches is produced by a global network of devices called atomic clocks. Some clocks — a wall clock, for example, or a quartz wristwatch — may not interact directly with this network. But chances are that when you need to set such a clock, you turn to your phone or smartwatch for the time.
How Atomic Clocks Work - HowStuffWorks
The effects of these mechanisms are felt by all of us in the form of alarm clocks, computers, answering machines and meeting schedules. In this edition of HowStuffWorks, we will learn all about atomic clocks and how they keep the world ticking!