GPS satellites carry atomic clocks. Because radio signals travel at the speed of light, even a billionth of a second of error could result in your GPS being off by several miles.
If the microwave frequency is exactly right, the atoms change states. Atomic Clock
Stock exchanges use atomic time to log trades down to the microsecond, preventing fraud and ensuring a fair "first-come, first-served" system. GPS satellites carry atomic clocks
Scientists use these clocks to detect tiny changes in gravity (General Relativity) and to search for dark matter. Precision Limits Stock exchanges use atomic time to log trades
High-speed data transfers and cellular networks require perfectly synchronized "stamps" to ensure packets of data arrive in the correct order.
At the heart of the clock is a physical constant: the "resonant frequency" of an atom. When atoms are exposed to specific frequencies of microwave or light energy, their electrons jump between energy levels. In a standard cesium atomic clock:
Cesium atoms are sprayed into a vacuum chamber and hit with microwaves.
GPS satellites carry atomic clocks. Because radio signals travel at the speed of light, even a billionth of a second of error could result in your GPS being off by several miles.
If the microwave frequency is exactly right, the atoms change states.
Stock exchanges use atomic time to log trades down to the microsecond, preventing fraud and ensuring a fair "first-come, first-served" system.
Scientists use these clocks to detect tiny changes in gravity (General Relativity) and to search for dark matter. Precision Limits
High-speed data transfers and cellular networks require perfectly synchronized "stamps" to ensure packets of data arrive in the correct order.
At the heart of the clock is a physical constant: the "resonant frequency" of an atom. When atoms are exposed to specific frequencies of microwave or light energy, their electrons jump between energy levels. In a standard cesium atomic clock:
Cesium atoms are sprayed into a vacuum chamber and hit with microwaves.