Overview
- Authors:
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Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
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France
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 1-30
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 31-69
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 70-100
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 101-152
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 153-214
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 215-271
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 272-300
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 301-307
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 308-321
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- Chronos Group, French National Observatory, and National Centre of Scientific Research
Pages 322-335
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Back Matter
Pages 337-340
About this book
Periodical phenomena or, more precisely, quasiperiodical phenomena, occupy a central position in physics. For a long time, their most important parameter has been their period. However, nowadays, we are much more interested in their frequency, and the many reasons for this are discussed in this book. Throughout history, evaluations of time have been based on periodical phenomena such as the apparent motion of the Sun. Indeed, the oldest unit of time is the day. The apparent motion of the Moon and of the celestial sphere, including changes in the appearance of the former, provided longer units, namely, week, month and year. All these periodical phenomen- the natural clocks - were obviously well suited to the observation and prediction of the evolution of nature with its seasonal rhythm. The gnomon and the clepsydra gave reasonably precise subdivisions of the day that could be used in timing human activities, so long as they were mostly agricultural. The invention of the pendulum and ofbalance wheel clocks marked the dawn of industrial civilisation, which soon de manded measurements of time with ever increasing precision over shorter and shorter periods.
