# Does a metric time measurement exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686 "2002-10-24T14:30:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/21 "2002-10-24T18:09:49Z")
milisecond microsecond nanosecond sounds metric to me ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/22 "2002-10-24T18:29:02Z")
There are other scientific methods of measuring time. For instance, the astronomers you mention in the OP often use something called the Julian day, which is a continuous count of days and fractions of a day since 12:00 Noon GMT on January 1 of four thousand and some oddd BC. So the current Julian Day would be something like 2453178.28663 (that’s not the exact number, just the sort of thing it would look like). Incidentally, it starts at noon, not midnight, because it’s primarily used by astronomers who don’t want the day to change in the middle of their observations. Which is probably not a big comfort to all the astronomers in Hawaii who are close to opposite GMT. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/23 "2002-10-25T01:01:26Z")
One attempt at “decimal time” (or marketing scheme, depending on your point of view) was the creation of “internet time”, aka “.beats”, by Swatch. You can find watches displaying that type of time measurement in Swatch stores or at the Swatch website. This concept was “founded” on 23 October 1998. The idea being that Swatch watches showing internet time would be the same all over the world, so Person A in Albania could tell Person B in Uruguay “let’s get on IM @732”. The principle: Time 0 (@000) is midnight BMT (Biel Mean Time, where Biel, Switzerland is the location of the Swatch Headquarters; equivalent to Central European Wintertime). The day is divided into 1000 “.beats” of 1 minute 26.4 seconds = 86.4 seconds. 12 noon BMT would be @500 .beats. The above information came from the Swatch website, [http://www.swatch.com](http://www.swatch.com) (look under “.beats” or “Internet time”.) ---
**Author:** ![JS\_Princeton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JS\_Princeton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JS_Princeton)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/24 "2002-10-25T01:39:08Z")
We might also point out that theoretical physicists are fond of expressing values of time in “Planck times” which are defined as the time it takes light to traverse the Planck length; or about 5 x 10^-44 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/25 "2002-10-25T02:07:50Z")
See **r\_k** , A quibble is **1** vibration of a quartz crystal. A second is **1/9,192,631,770** of the vibration of a cesium atom. Medium aside, that seems to me to be reducing complication. My comprehension is that since over time we’ve used the second as a standard, to change that now definately would introduce the need to rewrite much that is already understood and adequate. But I, again in my civilian blinders, would assume that could we start from scratch, some unit other than the second would be better suited for the aforementioned communities and the calculations they require. Granted, it’s served us well but it reminds me of measuring atomic blasts by the spearpoint. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/26 "2002-10-25T02:21:41Z")
Do you realize that a meter is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299792458 seconds? And that a Kelvin is defined as 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water? Why are you singling out seconds to blame for unweildy definitions? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/27 "2002-10-25T02:51:39Z")
It was their time. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/28 "2002-10-25T03:00:04Z")
I love metric time ten times better. ---
**Author:** ![Mandarax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Mandarax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandarax)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/29 "2002-10-25T04:33:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*You may find it interesting that the meter is defined in terms of the second, and that the gram is defined in terms of the meter. If we redefined the time unit for SI, we’d probably redefine the distance and mass units as well. \*\* A nitpick and a correction: The gram isn’t defined; the _kilo_gram is. And its definition has nothing to do with the second. A kilogram is defined as the mass of the [standard kilogram](http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/kilogram.html). ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/30 "2002-10-25T05:47:53Z")
You are correct about the definition of the kilogram; I apologize. However, I don’t agree with your nitpick. The gram is too defined. It’s defined as one-thousandth of a kilogram, and so it’s (indirectly) defined in terms of whatever the kilogram is defined in terms of. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/31 "2002-10-25T14:33:20Z")
Physical objects for standards are no long the the high authority. The kilogram is defined as the mass of 1 litre of water at STP. The liter is defined as 1 cubic decimeter. The meter is defined by wavelength of light at a specific frequency which is measured in seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/32 "2002-10-25T15:55:09Z")
I thought the deal was one gram equals one cubic centimeter of water (aka one milliliter) at sea level air pressure at water’s maximum density, approx. 4 degrees Celcius. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/33 "2002-10-25T19:06:23Z")
**Padeye** and **Enola Straight** , please read **Mandarax** ’s cite. You’ll see that you would have been correct, before 1889. If you don’t trust a .gov site, [here’s one from a .edu site](http://www.cofc.edu/~chem/deavor/221/si_units.html). ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/34 "2002-10-26T03:22:32Z")
In one sense, we do use a partly decimal time system. Virtually all timeclocks at businesses in the US measure “decimal hours”: 8:30 A.M. is 8.5 hours, 10:15 would be 10.25 hourse, etc. This is for the sake of payroll calculating wages at an hourly rate. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/35 "2002-10-26T11:11:27Z")
From _The Straight Dope_, by the illustrious Cecil Adams, as recorded within [Who decided the day should be divided into 24 hours?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_125.html), we are informed that: > [@](#): > > In 1793, in an effort to sweep away the superstitious associations of the old method of timekeeping (you know how revolutionaries are), the French National Convention established a new calendar with 12 months of 30 days each, followed by five (six in leap years) “complementary days,” which belonged to no month. Each month was divided into three 10-day “decades,” and each day into two sections of 10 hours each. The hour was further divided into 100 “decimal minutes,” which were in turn divided into 100 “decimal seconds.” > > The year began on the autumnal equinox, which happened to be the anniversary of the foundation of the Republic. Each month was given a descriptive name, e.g., Thermidor, July 19-August 17, “month of heat.” Each day was also given its own name, some of which were less inspired than others, e.g., Eggplant, Manure, Shovel, Gypsum, Billy Goat, Spinach, and Tunny Fish. Even the French couldn’t seriously have felt these represented a significant advance over old faves like Maundy Thursday. Also, on a more practical front, who wants to work a ten-day week? > > Nontheless the French public made a valiant effort to implement the new system, going so far as to manufacture watches with concentric 10- and 12-hour dials. But ultimately the task proved to be beyond them. In 1806, after 13 baffling years of missed dentist appointments and overdue library books, they abandoned the revolutionary calendar. ---
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/36 "2002-10-26T17:43:11Z")
think astroseconds from transformers. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/37 "2002-10-26T18:37:13Z")
On Battlestar:Galactica, they threw around time units like centons and microns. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686/38 "2002-10-26T19:06:32Z")
And look how they turned out! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-metric-time-measurement-exist/133686.md?page=1)