Anyone Have an Atomic Clock???

[Smooth]

I've seen some people recently with atomic clocks in their houses. Are these worth the money? How do they tell the temp outside if the clock is located inside? What is the big attraction to them? Are they worth having? They seem pretty neat but was wondering from people who have one if they like them and what the advantages and disadvantages are.


Thanks

[Callahan]

I don't know why you'd need the ridiculous precision from these atomic clocks. I own a wristwatch, and I've always been able to tell what time it is, or close enough anyway.

Off-topic: I've heard of this experiment where they took two atomic clocks, synchronized them down to like .0001 of a second or something, and then put one in a jet, flying it around for awhile at Mach 4 or something. When the jet landed and they compared the two clocks, the one on the ground was a few thousandths of a second faster than the one from the jet. Supposedly demonstrating that time slows down as you approach the speed of light. No idea if it's true but I thought it was pretty cool.

[Art Vandelay]

I got one as a wedding gift when I got married this summer. I wouldn't call them a necessity by any means, but it's nice to have around. There is a sensor that you place outside that gives you the temperature, then there's a built in sensor on the unit that sits in the house that gives you interior temp. Mine is battery powered, and resets itself every hour or so to the naval observatory clock, so I guess if the power ever goes out you'll still have an accurate clock. Anyway, I probably never would have bought one myself, but I guess it's not too bad to have.

Oh yeah, and one thing if you are planning on getting one: Different models have different specs, the one I have only goes down to 24 degrees, which is kind of ridiculous as it regularly gets much colder than that here.

[BritSox]

I don't know why you'd need the ridiculous precision from these atomic clocks. I own a wristwatch, and I've always been able to tell what time it is, or close enough anyway.

Off-topic: I've heard of this experiment where they took two atomic clocks, synchronized them down to like .0001 of a second or something, and then put one in a jet, flying it around for awhile at Mach 4 or something. When the jet landed and they compared the two clocks, the one on the ground was a few thousandths of a second faster than the one from the jet. Supposedly demonstrating that time slows down as you approach the speed of light. No idea if it's true but I thought it was pretty cool.

Definitely true. Time and space are relative.

[acsguitar]

I don't know why you'd need the ridiculous precision from these atomic clocks. I own a wristwatch, and I've always been able to tell what time it is, or close enough anyway.

Off-topic: I've heard of this experiment where they took two atomic clocks, synchronized them down to like .0001 of a second or something, and then put one in a jet, flying it around for awhile at Mach 4 or something. When the jet landed and they compared the two clocks, the one on the ground was a few thousandths of a second faster than the one from the jet. Supposedly demonstrating that time slows down as you approach the speed of light. No idea if it's true but I thought it was pretty cool.

Definitely true. Time and space are relative.

Yep exactly.

Anyways there are atomic clocks on the internets that will tell you the time just as acurrately.

Seems kinda pointless to me.

[acsguitar]

I don't know why you'd need the ridiculous precision from these atomic clocks. I own a wristwatch, and I've always been able to tell what time it is, or close enough anyway.

Off-topic: I've heard of this experiment where they took two atomic clocks, synchronized them down to like .0001 of a second or something, and then put one in a jet, flying it around for awhile at Mach 4 or something. When the jet landed and they compared the two clocks, the one on the ground was a few thousandths of a second faster than the one from the jet. Supposedly demonstrating that time slows down as you approach the speed of light. No idea if it's true but I thought it was pretty cool.

funny that you should mention that as we were JUST talking about that in my philosophy class today...very interesting stuff..

The speed of light is cool.

I like the idea that if someone had a strong enough telescope or a fast enough space ship they could be in such a far place from earth that they could infact be where earths reflection has not reached yet and therefore could currently watch the creation of earth.

[AcidRock23]

I think that it would likely be a fraction of a second, rather than several seconds. 4000 mph is fast but is relatively slow, as it were...

[acsguitar]

I think that it would likely be a fraction of a second, rather than several seconds. 4000 mph is fast but is relatively slow, as it were...

4000 mph = ~ 1 Mile Per Second Speed of light is ~ 186000 miles per second

[suppasonic]

I think that it would likely be a fraction of a second, rather than several seconds. 4000 mph is fast but is relatively slow, as it were...

4000 mph = ~ 1 Mile Per Second Speed of light is ~ 186000 miles per second

Wouldn't 3600 mph be one mile per second?