Title: NIST Explains Timekeeping and Clock Standards
NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has published a comprehensive FAQ on timekeeping and clocks. The article explains how different types of clocks work, from grandfather clocks using pendulums to atomic clocks leveraging the natural frequencies of atoms like Cesium-133.
Atomic clocks serve as the primary standard for time and frequency measurements in the International System of Units (SI). The second is defined as the period of a specific Cesium-133 atomic transition. These clocks are crucial for various applications, including GPS systems, mobile networks, and power grid operations.
The article also covers historical timekeeping methods, such as the Egyptian sundial and Babylonian sexagesimal system, as well as modern timekeeping systems like the Julian Date and Modified Julian Date. NIST provides extensive resources for understanding time and frequency measurement, including the book “From Sundials to Atomic Clocks,” which explains atomic clock principles and the history of timekeeping in an accessible manner.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/timekeeping-and-clocks-faqs
Keywords: atomic clocks, timekeeping, frequency measurement
