Question

In an atomic clock there are approximately 9.193 × 109oscillations of the specified light emitted by cesium-133 atoms. The text describes the typically accuracy of atomic clocks in terms of two atomic clocks differing by only one second in 6000 years. Assume one of the clocks gains one second in six thousand years, approximately what is the change in the number of oscillations of the light each second?

Answer 1

Explanation:

6000 years = 6000 x 365 x 24 x 60 x 60

= 1.892 x 10¹¹ second

 gain is 1 second

1 second is equivalent to 9.193 × 10⁹ oscillations .

In 1.892 x 10¹¹ second ,  change in oscillation is 9.193 × 10⁹ oscillation

in one second change in oscillation = (9.193 / 1.892 ) x 10⁹⁻¹¹

=  4.859 x 10⁻² oscillations .