Shake to Second Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool

Convert shakes to seconds with our free online time converter.

From:

Shake

To:

Second

How to Use the Calculator:

Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Shake).
The converted value in Second 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 Shake to Second

Converting Shake to Second involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.

Formula:

1 Shake = 1.0000e-8 seconds

Example Calculation:

Convert 60 shakes: 60 × 1.0000e-8 = 6.0000e-7 seconds

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 Shake and a Second?

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.

The second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the caesium frequency ΔνCs, the unperturbed ground-state hyperfine transition frequency of the caesium-133 atom, to be 9,192,631,770 when expressed in the unit Hz, which is equal to s⁻¹.

Note: The Shake is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Second belongs to the imperial/US customary system.

History of the Shake and Second

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.

Historically, the second was defined as 1/86,400 of a mean solar day. However, variations in the Earth's rotation led to the need for a more precise, constant definition. The atomic definition based on the caesium-133 atom was adopted in 1967.

Common Uses for shakes and seconds

Explore the typical applications for both Shake (imperial/US) and Second (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.

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.

Common Uses for seconds

Base Unit: The fundamental unit for all time measurements in science, engineering, and daily life.
Timing: Used universally for clocks, watches, timers, and scheduling.
Physics: Essential in defining derived units like velocity (meters per second), acceleration (meters per second squared), frequency (Hertz, or cycles per second), and force (Newtons).
Computing: Used as a base for measuring intervals, timeouts, and durations, although often subdivided into milliseconds, microseconds, or nanoseconds for finer measurements.
Everyday Life: Counting heartbeats, measuring short durations, coordinating activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions 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.

About Second (s)

What is the base unit of time in the SI system?

The second (s) is the base unit of time.

Why is the second defined using atoms?

The atomic definition provides a much more stable and precise standard than relying on the Earth's rotation, which fluctuates slightly.

How many seconds are in a minute?

There are 60 seconds in a minute.

How many seconds are in an hour?

There are 3,600 seconds in an hour (60 seconds/minute * 60 minutes/hour).

Conversion Table: Shake to Second

Shake (shake)	Second (s)
1	0
5	0
10	0
25	0
50	0
100	0
500	0
1,000	0

All Time Conversions

Second to Minute Second to Hour Second to Day Second to Week Second to Month Second to Year Second to Millisecond Second to Microsecond Second to Nanosecond Second to Decade Second to Century Second to Millennium Second to Fortnight Second to Planck Time Second to Shake Second to Sidereal Day Second to Sidereal Year Minute to Second Minute to Hour Minute to Day Minute to Week Minute to Month Minute to Year Minute to Millisecond Minute to Microsecond Minute to Nanosecond Minute to Decade Minute to Century Minute to Millennium Minute to Fortnight Minute to Planck Time Minute to Shake Minute to Sidereal Day Minute to Sidereal Year Hour to Second Hour to Minute Hour to Day Hour to Week Hour to Month Hour to Year Hour to Millisecond Hour to Microsecond Hour to Nanosecond Hour to Decade Hour to Century Hour to Millennium Hour to Fortnight Hour to Planck Time Hour to Shake Hour to Sidereal Day Hour to Sidereal Year Day to Second Day to Minute Day to Hour Day to Week Day to Month Day to Year Day to Millisecond Day to Microsecond Day to Nanosecond Day to Decade Day to Century Day to Millennium Day to Fortnight Day to Planck Time Day to Shake Day to Sidereal Day Day to Sidereal Year Week to Second Week to Minute Week to Hour Week to Day Week to Month Week to Year Week to Millisecond Week to Microsecond Week to Nanosecond Week to Decade Week to Century Week to Millennium Week to Fortnight Week to Planck Time Week to Shake Week to Sidereal Day Week to Sidereal Year Month to Second Month to Minute Month to Hour Month to Day Month to Week Month to Year Month to Millisecond Month to Microsecond Month to Nanosecond Month to Decade Month to Century Month to Millennium Month to Fortnight Month to Planck Time Month to Shake Month to Sidereal Day Month to Sidereal Year Year to Second Year to Minute Year to Hour Year to Day Year to Week Year to Month Year to Millisecond Year to Microsecond Year to Nanosecond Year to Decade Year to Century Year to Millennium Year to Fortnight Year to Planck Time Year to Shake Year to Sidereal Day Year to Sidereal Year Millisecond to Second