The Leap Second Explained

The video explains how Earth's rotation is slowing, causing the day to lengthen by about 2 milliseconds every 100 years. Leap seconds are added to synchronize clocks with Earth's rotation, but the frequency of leap seconds is higher than expected due to historical definitions of a second. The second was redefined in 1960 and 1967 to align with atomic clocks, but discrepancies remain. These discrepancies arise from the difference between the SI second and the solar day. As Earth's rotation continues to slow, leap seconds will become more frequent.

How did the atomic clock second inherit discrepancies from previous definitions?

Evaluate responses using AI:

OFF

Discuss the implications of Earth's rotation slowing down on our timekeeping systems.

Evaluate responses using AI:

OFF