• Question: how fast is an ATO second

    Asked by harrison100399 to Graham on 18 Jun 2014.
    • Photo: Graham Wiggins

      Graham Wiggins answered on 18 Jun 2014:

      Hi,
      Seconds are units of time, so don’t have “speed” .
      The Ato second is an extremely thin slice of a second, If memory serves me well, an atosecond is equal to 10−18 of a second. (one quintillionth of a second) .
      so… that’s a zero, followed by a deciaml point, the 18 more zeros before you find an atosecond.
      eg 0.000000000000000001 of a second is an atosecond.
      That’s short !
      short enough to let scientists see chemical bonds break, ( or form) so it is extremely usefull.

Comments