The word "second" refers to the ordinal number two: second-rate, second-string, second period, second child, etc. Why was the word "second" used to name the smallest standard unit of time????
2006-10-03 08:44:51 · 7 answers · asked by matpatstery 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
"Second Order of Minuteness"
You know how people say "this was an order of magnitude larger than ____" ? Well that is a mathematical term. An order of magnitude can have different meanings in a numerical sense, but what it means mathematically is basically "In a whole new class". So for example a Magnitude 5 earthquake is a whole order of magnitude greater than (ten times as powerful as) a Magnitude 4 earthquake.
Similarly, there are orders of minuteness, meaning so much smaller as to be in a different class.
Thus, a "minute" is an order of minuteness smaller than an hour, and a "second" is the SECOND order of minuteness smaller than an hour -- one sixtieth of an hour is a minute (minute part of an hour), and one sixtieth of a minute is a second (second order of minuteness of an hour). This is why they are often indicated as an apostrophe (') for minutes and a double-apostrophe or quote (") for seconds. Even when used to measure angles, the circle indicates degrees of angle (a whole circle), a single apostrophe indicates minutes of angle (an order of minuteness smaller than a degree) and a double-apostrophe or quote indicates seconds of angle (a second order of minuteness smaller than a degree).
2006-10-03 08:54:19 · answer #1 · answered by Mustela Frenata 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The name "minute" is used to denote a small or minute division.
The name "second" is used to denote a secondary or even smaller division.
There are 60 minutes of time in an hour, and 60 minutes of angle in a degree. There are 60 seconds in a minute of either type.
The number 60 is used as a divisor because it is the smallest number divisible by the integers one through six.
2006-10-03 08:53:41 · answer #2 · answered by Deep Thought 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can only measure the second with 2 intervals in time. Because at the instant time as of right now it would be 0 seconds get it?
2006-10-03 08:47:43 · answer #3 · answered by Jun 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's not the smallest standard unit of time.
And I don't know, I guess it was just a coincidence or something.
2006-10-03 08:53:53 · answer #4 · answered by J13891 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Originally, the second was known as a "second minute", meaning the second minute (i.e. small) division of an hour.
2006-10-03 08:49:01 · answer #5 · answered by Neil T 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a second to say second
2006-10-03 08:50:33 · answer #6 · answered by Chris 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Check the Oxford English Dictionary. I would, but the walk over to the OED is sooooo long...don't wanna do it.
2006-10-03 08:53:33 · answer #7 · answered by SlowClap 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋