A clock is a device used to measure and display time.
A clock is a device used to measure and display time.
Introduction
Clocks are devices used to measure and display time. Clocks can also be combined with other devices for timekeeping. They are sometimes live-action objects in the form of animals, people or fictional characters. Some of the more well known types of clocks include hourglass, cuckoo, and grandfather clocks. Clocks can be driven by a variety of means, including gravity, springs and various forms of mechanics. The English word clock probably comes from Middle Dutch clokke and one of the first recorded uses of the word clogge in English was in 1300 to mean 'bell'.
A clock is a device used to measure and display time.
A clock is a device used to measure and display time. Clocks can be digital or analog. A clock may also be known as a chronometer, especially if it's being used as a marine navigation instrument.
The term "clock" derives ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". The first known use of this word was in 9th century China, referring to an instrument that struck bells automatically at regular intervals: "it had been invented for this express purpose; it signified the time when meals were about to begin." The word came into general usage in 17th century England, where it replaced earlier terms such as hourglass (or sandglass) due to their broader scope.[1]
A clock tower shows the current time by sounding chimes on the hour or half-hour; these chimes can also be rung remotely from a bell tower at some distance away. Some grand towers have had mechanical figures move with them while striking their bells; other notable examples include Big Ben in London and St Peter's Cathedral in St Petersburg.[2]
clocks can also be combined with other devices for timekeeping.
Clocks can also be combined with other devices for timekeeping. For example, the clock on your microwave is actually a timer that measures how long it takes to cook food. Other examples include:
- A clock used to display time (like the ones you see above)
- A clock used to measure time (like the ones at airports)
They are sometimes live-action objects in the form of animals, people or fictional characters.
A clock is a device used to measure and display time. Clocks can be mechanical or electronic, and can be driven by mechanisms such as springs, water drips or various other means of energy storage. Mechanical clocks were first developed in ancient China, with the first known example being the Water Clock invented by Zhang Heng in AD 132 during the Han Dynasty.[1] The Ancient Greeks and Romans also used water clocks; some Roman examples can be seen at Pompeii.[2] A sundial uses a gnomon to cast a shadow on its dial to indicate the time of day. While not practical for precision timing due to their simple design, sundials remain popular for their decorative value and as objects of scientific curiosity.
In 1656 Christiaan Huygens invented an early version of what we now call an analog clock: it had two concentric dials (one showing seconds), with numbers from zero up to thirty printed around them[3]. This was called "the secondeurs". In 1770 Louis XVI decreed that all town halls across France should have clocks visible from outside so that citizens would know when it was midday without having to look at their pocket watches; these were initially regulated using large sun dials placed high up on roofs.[4][5]
Some of the more well known types of clocks include hourglass, cuckoo, and grandfather clocks.
You may be familiar with other types of clocks, such as hourglass, cuckoo and grandfather clocks. These are all examples of mechanical clocks that use gears to measure time.
The earliest known reference to a clock with a dial is from 1283 CE in China where it was described by Jiao Yu in his book Jiao Yu Shi Lu (Essential Arts for Military Purposes). The book included an illustration showing the use of a bell ringing clock that measured time in hours and minutes.
Clocks can be driven by a variety of means, including gravity, springs and various forms of mechanics.
A clock is a device used to measure and display time. The word "clock" may refer to an alarm clock, a clock tower or even the hourglass. Clocks can be driven by a variety of means, including gravity, springs and various forms of mechanics.
The earliest clocks were calibrated with water flow or sand flow timers that would drip away at constant intervals; this was called clepsydra (from the Greek words klepsydra meaning water thief). The first mechanical clocks appeared during the 13th century in Europe. They had no internal mechanism but were powered by falling weights similar to those used in bellows for pumping wells.[1] These weight-driven clocks were used as town clocks until they became too inaccurate for telling accurate time over long periods due to wear on their components.[2]
The first spring-driven clocks appeared between 1450 and 1500[3][4] in Northern Italy,[5] where they were known as pendule d'Italia (Italian pendulum). They were large tower structures that struck bells upon hours or quarters past each hour.[6] They kept time by using two different mechanisms: one was called foliot (from Latin folium - leaf), which controlled its motion according to seasonal changes; another was called balance wheel.[7][8]
The English word clock probably comes from Middle Dutch clokke and one of the first recorded uses of the word clogge in English was in 1300 to mean 'bell'.
The English word clock probably comes from Middle Dutch clokke and one of the first recorded uses of the word clogge in English was in 1300 to mean 'bell'. The Latin word horologium has been used since at least 1550 to describe an instrument for measuring time.
The first known mechanical clocks were large bell-ringing instruments installed in towers or churches such as Salisbury Cathedral (1386) and Wells Cathedral (1420), though they were not very accurate or reliable by modern standards. They became more common in the fourteenth century with improvements in technology, but many were still dependent on water power or weights driven by falling water: these were known as 'flow' clocks or weight-driven clocks respectively. These early designs featured an hour hand only; there was no minute hand until later.[1]
The Latin word horologium (from which today's words are derived) seems to have been borrowed into a number of languages during the Middle Ages, including Old French and Old English where it meant any sort of timepiece as well as water clock; that word eventually derived into our modern word 'hour'.
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Conclusion
Clocks are a great way to keep track of time, but they can also be fun and interesting. If you're looking for a new clock, check out our wide selection at Timezone!
For any question, please contact us in OpenTimeClock.com. https://www.opentimeclock.com.
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