Could you explain the time diffrence for me please? See details below?

Question

We all know we have 24 hours in a day
Why is it that if we put our clocks forwad you gain an hour?
When you go back you loose an hour?
Isn't that like saying we have 23 or 25 hours then?
Some one please explain...

Ok now wait a minute, a lot of you said, that yes you do gain one hour as well as loosing one hour. So why does it go back to 24? Puzzeling you had a great answer but I don't think I even saw that explanation in yours.

Answer 1

Yes, on those specific days we either add or lose an hour at 2am. So technically on those days, with the time change we have 23 or 25 hour days.

For example in the spring we put our clocks forward at 2am. So the clock goes from 2am to 3am. Essentially we lose that hour and that days is only 23 hours long.

Coming up this weekend on Sunday we put our clocks backward at 2am. So the clock goes from 2am to 1am. As a result, you have 1am to 2am twice. That makes for a day that is 25 hours long.

As you can see, the adjustment happens twice a year, so at the end of the year, we average out to 24 hour days and nothing is affected.

One of the major reasons given for observing DST is energy conservation. Theoretically, the amount of residential electricity needed in the evening hours is dependent both on when the sun sets and when people go to bed. Because people tend to observe the same bedtime year-round, by artificially moving sunset one hour later, the amount of energy used is theoretically reduced. A 1975 United States Department of Transportation study showed that DST would theoretically reduce the country's electricity usage by 1% from March to April, if implemented during these months.

Part of the reason that it is normally observed in the early spring, summer, and early autumn instead of the winter months is that the amount of energy saved by experiencing sunset one hour later would be negated by the increased need for artificial morning lighting due to a later sunrise. During the summer most people would wake up after the sun rises, regardless of whether daylight saving time is in effect or not, so there is no increased need for morning lighting to offset the afternoon drop in energy usage.

Another perceived benefit of DST is increased opportunities for outdoor activities. Most people plan outdoor activities during the increased hours of sunlight. Other benefits cited include prevention of traffic injuries (by allowing more people to return home from work or school in daylight), and crime reduction (by reducing people's risk of being targets of crimes that are more common in dark areas).

When the U.S. went on extended DST in 1974 and 1975 in response to the 1973 energy crisis, Department of Transportation studies found that observing DST in March and April saved 10,000 barrels of oil a day, and prevented about 2,000 traffic injuries and 50 fatalities saving about U.S. $28 million in traffic costs.

You can read more at Wikipedia if you are so inclined.

Answer 2

You're right. You lose an hour in the spring but gain an hour in the fall. So that 1 day has 23 hours and l has 25 which averages out to 24 and we're back to normal. What you gain is that extra hour of useable daylight during the summer months. Some area's, such as Phoenix, don't want that extra hour of sunlight so don't change time.

Answer 3

Fall= move back 1 hour, losing 1 hour for the day
Spring= move forward 1 hour, gaining 1 hour for the day
TOTAL for Year= NO loss and NO Gain, still 24 hours a day.

Indiana has the right idea, They don't mess with it at all and leave it alone. Texas needs to do the same thing. We don't need longer hot days in the summer.

Now, pick me for best answer. I know where you live. LOL

Answer 4

its an artificial adjustment to the hours to try and keep hours in daylight. Ill be working 9 hours tonight, then in spring 7...its a construct.

Answer 5

Its all there.