Is a clock really a good measure of time?

Question

If two clocks were calibrated for accuracy, then one clock was moved from one level of gravity to another, eg earth to moon would it measure time at the same rate in relationship to the other clock?

Answer 1

They work a lot better than a slide rule or a measuring tape.

Answer 2

The relativistic effect Mr. Quark describes would be extremely small at the low and similar gravitational fields of the earth and the moon. Even an atomic clock probably does not have enough precision to measure it.

A mechanical clock powered by a slowly descending weight would simply receive less power. You could simulate that effect on earth simply by using a lighter weight. How that effects the operation of the mechanical movement depends on the design of the movement.

An escapement mechanism depends not only on the natural period of a pendulum, but also other factors like how far the driving force overdrives the ratchet into the gear teeth, and how large friction losses are compared to all the forces governing the mechanism.

An electronic clock regulated by the electromechanical resonance of a quartz crystal is affected little, if any, by gravity.

I can't think of any way an atomic clock is affected by gravity. It would almost certainly give you the best measurement of time.

Most of these phenomena affect the measuring instrument, not the passage of time itself. The relativistic effect is the only one which affects the passage of time. The atomic clock is likely to give you the best measurement of it.

The really hard part of any experimental test of this would be comparing the readings of two clocks so far apart, and also moving and accelerating with respect to each other.

Answer 3

Time passes more quickly when gravity is reduced. The new "optical" clocks hit an atom with a laser beam, finely tuned to a certain frequency. Laser "ticks" come about 100,000 times faster, and thus could become the new basis for the definition of a second. The current standard clock will neither gain nor lose a second in 70 million years. The new clock pushes that figure out to 400 million years.

Answer 4

The clocks would read the same time, But the one on the moon would not be relevant the event there's. Every where has it own time reference (due to rotation speed of the planet), Even here on the Planet Earth clocks are inaccurate, they don't follow the patterns of the apparent rising or setting Sun or the seasons which are monitored by Calenders. I ask my self this; If a Clock Measure 24 hours in a Day, What about the Night? where is the clock for that??

Answer 5

It depends on what kind of clock. The period of a simple pendulum is T = 2pi*sqrt(l/g), meaning that the pendulum's period does have a dependence on gravity, and a pendulum clock would not keep proper time on the Moon unless it was recalibrated. The acceleration of gravity at the Moon's surface is about one sixth of that of Earth. sqrt(6) is about equal to 2.5, so the clock would take 2.5 hours to tick through an hour of displayed time. The variation in gravity across inhabited regions of the Earth, though, is not enough to be able to observe this effect over short spans of time.

A digital clock or an atomic clock would not be affected by being moved to the Moon.

Answer 6

Hi. The short answer is no, Einstein and all. But accuracy and precision are two different things. The more precise the clock the less accurate. For example, a broken clock (with hands, not digital) is exactly accurate twice a day. Compare this with a clock that gains or loses a second a day. Or a billionth.

Answer 7

It depends on the clock mechanisms. A pendulum-driven or water clock would respond differently to variations in gravity, but most other sorts of clock would not. (If you're getting at a question related to relativity, the differences in gravity between the Earth and the Moon are too relatively negligible to have any significant or measurable effect.)

Answer 8

No. The clock in the lower acceleration field (on the moon) would run a bit faster than the other. This is a consequence of General Relativity.

Yes, the implication here is that a clock at the Schwarzschild radius of a black hole will run infinitely slowly. Time will appear to freeze for such objects as seen from the rest of the universe.

Answer 9

It depends on the mechanism of the clock. Old fashioned clocks used a weight to drive them. These clocks would run slower in lower gravities. Some watches are operated by a spring mechanism which are not likely to be significantly affected. I dont think battery operated watches would either.

Answer 10

The most accurate timepieces are atomic clocks which are cesium oscillators. They bascially measure the cycles between two energy levels of the ground state of the Caesium-133 atom, which are used to define a second. You can find atomic time servers on line and there aere also programs that will allow you to synch your computer clock and certain watches with atomic time.

Answer 11

No. The clock experiencing the greater gravitational field would run slightly slower then the other clock. But the difference would be negligible for most application.