Century to Shake Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert centuries to shakes with our free online time converter.
Century to Shake Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Century).
- The converted value in Shake will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Time category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Century to Shake
Converting Century to Shake involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Century = 3.1557e+17 shakesExample Calculation:
Convert 60 centuries: 60 × 3.1557e+17 = 1.8934e+19 shakes
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Century and a Shake?
A century is a unit of time equal to 100 consecutive years. It is widely used for marking long periods, especially in historical contexts and for discussing long-term trends.
A Shake is an informal unit of time equal to 10 nanoseconds (10 ns), or 10⁻⁸ seconds. It is primarily used in nuclear physics and astrophysics to measure the timing of events in nuclear reactions and related phenomena.
Note: The Century is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Shake belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Century and Shake
The word "century" derives from the Latin "centum," meaning one hundred. In ancient Rome, a centuria was initially a military unit of about 100 soldiers. The application of the term to a period of 100 years became common with the development and standardization of calendar systems, particularly the Julian and Gregorian calendars, used for historical dating.
The term "Shake" originated during the Manhattan Project, the World War II effort to develop the first nuclear weapons. Nuclear chain reactions happen extremely quickly, and physicists needed a convenient, short unit of time to discuss the timing of events within these reactions. Ten nanoseconds was chosen as a practical order of magnitude for many processes involved. The name itself is informal, reputedly derived from the expression "two shakes of a lamb's tail," implying a very short duration.
Common Uses for centuries and shakes
Explore the typical applications for both Century (imperial/US) and Shake (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for centuries
Centuries are primarily used for:
- Dating historical eras: (e.g., the 18th century refers to the years 1701-1800).
- Discussing long-term trends: Examining historical, cultural, social, or geological changes spanning multiple generations.
- Marking centennials: Celebrating significant 100th anniversaries.
- Grouping years: Organizing timelines in genealogy and long-term planning.
Common Uses for shakes
The Shake is almost exclusively used in specific technical fields:
- Nuclear Physics: Measuring the time intervals between successive neutron generations in a nuclear chain reaction.
- Astrophysics: Discussing timescales relevant to certain high-energy astrophysical events.
- Particle Physics: Occasionally used in experiments involving very short-lived particles or interactions.
- Laser Physics: Sometimes used in contexts involving very short laser pulses.
It is not used for everyday time measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Century (c)
How many years are in a century?
A century is defined as exactly 100 years.
When did the 21st century begin?
Following the standard definition where centuries start with year '01, the 21st century began on January 1, 2001, and will end on December 31, 2100. This is because the calendar count started with year 1 AD, not year 0.
Is a century a standard unit in science?
While commonly understood, the century is not a base or derived unit within the International System of Units (SI). The SI unit for time is the second. Scientists typically use years (often specified as Julian years for consistency) or multiples like kiloyears (kyr) or megayears (Myr) for very long timescales.
About Shake (shake)
How long is a Shake in seconds?
One Shake is equal to 10 nanoseconds (10 ns), which is 10⁻⁸ seconds, or 0.00000001 seconds.
Where did the name "Shake" come from?
The name is an informal term coined during the Manhattan Project. It's believed to be a humorous reference to the phrase "in two shakes of a lamb's tail," signifying a very brief period, appropriate for the rapid events in nuclear reactions.
Is the Shake an SI unit?
No, the Shake is not part of the International System of Units (SI). The standard SI unit for time is the second (s). The Shake is a specialized, informal unit used within specific scientific communities for convenience.
Conversion Table: Century to Shake
| Century (c) | Shake (shake) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 315,569,520,000,000,000 |
| 5 | 1,577,847,600,000,000,000 |
| 10 | 3,155,695,200,000,000,000 |
| 25 | 7,889,238,000,000,000,000 |
| 50 | 15,778,476,000,000,000,000 |
| 100 | 31,556,952,000,000,000,000 |
| 500 | 157,784,760,000,000,000,000 |
| 1,000 | 315,569,520,000,000,000,000 |