[time-nuts] Best reason

[Hal Murray]

jim77742 at gmail.com said:
> So when a member of the general public says:
> Why do we need really accurate clocks?
> What is your answer?
> Personally I explain that accurate clocks enable you to pack a higher data
> rate into your smart phone. They like that.

> Any other thoughts?

Navigation?  It goes back to Harrison.  Dava Sobel's Longitude is good.  
There is a version with nice pictures.


GPS is probably something they can appreciate.

If you have to explain why GPS needs accurate clocks, it might be simpler to 
start with LORAN in 2D.  Work out a simple example and then do it again with 
one of the transmitters being off by a few microseconds.

I think of GPS as a bunch of satellites broadcasting "I'm Bob, my orbit 
parameters are XXX, my clock says YYY."  If you hear 4 of those, you have 4 
equations to work out 4 unknowns.  The unknowns are your position: X, Y, Z, 
and T.



-- 
These are my opinions, not necessarily my employer's.  I hate spam.