Shake (shake) - Unit Information & Conversion
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What is a Shake?
Key Facts: Shake
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | shake |
| Quantity | Time |
| System | Metric/SI Derived |
| Derived from | Second |
| Category | Time |
| Standard Body | NIST / ISO |
Definition
A Shake is an informal unit of time equal to 10 nanoseconds (10 ns), or 10โปโธ seconds. It is primarily used in nuclear physics and astrophysics to measure the timing of events in nuclear reactions and related phenomena.
History
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
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.
Real-World Time Scales
Comparison to Familiar Durations
| Duration | Shakes | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 nanosecond | 0.1 | Light travels 0.3 meters |
| 1 shake | 1.0 | Nuclear process timescale |
| 1 microsecond | 100 | CPU instruction time |
| 1 millisecond | 100,000 | Eye blink start |
| 1 second | 100,000,000 | Human perception |
Nuclear Physics Events
| Event | Duration (Shakes) |
|---|---|
| Neutron generation | 1-2 |
| Alpha particle emission | 5-10 |
| Gamma ray detection | 1-5 |
| Chain reaction feedback | 10-50 |
Manhattan Project Legacy
Historical Significance
| Context | Contribution | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan Project | Created shake terminology | Nuclear physics standard |
| Cold War era | Expanded shake usage | Weapons research |
| Modern research | Continues in labs | Informal but persistent |
| Computing | CPU timescale reference | Nanosecond era |
Shake in Modern Physics
- ICBM design: Millisecond-level reaction timing analysis
- Particle detectors: Femtosecond-scale modern measurements
- Historical documents: Manhattan Project reports use shake terminology
- Educational: Taught as example of field-specific jargon
Time Scale Precision
Modern physics has moved beyond shakes to femtoseconds (10โปยนโต s) and even attoseconds (10โปยนโธ s) with atomic clocks and quantum measurements. The shake remains a historical curiosity and demonstration of how technical communities develop informal units for practical work.
Shake Conversion Formulas
To Second:
To Minute:
To Hour:
To Day:
To Week:
To Month:
To Year:
To Millisecond:
To Microsecond:
To Nanosecond:
To Decade:
To Century:
To Millennium:
To Fortnight:
To Planck Time:
To Sidereal Day:
To Sidereal Year:
Frequently Asked Questions
One Shake is equal to 10 nanoseconds (10 ns), which is 10โปโธ seconds, or 0.00000001 seconds.
Convert Shake
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