Who Can Answer This One?

[cabinetman]

There are many explanations for the measurement of time, and what may be the shortest measure.

One theory states the the shortest measured length of time was 10^-18 seconds.

Another talks about Planck Time.

And then there are words that I can hardly spell like:
attoseconds
yoctoseconds
exaseconds
zeptoseconds

But we can use any word for the length of time by using one of any words and just say "Well how about half of that?" That kind of discussion can go on for infinity, like half a picosecond, then half of that to some infinity power. It can get mind boggling.

So my question: Is there a simple word to describe the shortest length/period of time?
.

[Hoover]

nanosecond?

[cabinetman]

nanosecond?

Just to be simplistic, wouldn't half a nanosecond be shorter...see what I mean?
Anyway, isn't a picosecond shorter than a nanosecond?
.

[Uncle Cracker]

The shortest known unit of time is the interval between mortgage payments...

[RodKirby]

At the risk of offending everyone - who cares?

[stormdog74]

You can't have a smallest unit for time, just like there is no largest number. There may be a limit (at the moment) to how short a period we can measure, but that doesn't mean it is the smallest that exists.

In fact, between any two real numbers there are an infinite number of numbers.

[Richard in Smithville]

The shortest known unit of time is the interval between mortgage payments...

That and weekends.

[Daryl]

I am not a physicist, and I may not even know how to spell it. However it is my understanding that very short periods of time are expressed as a negative exponent of 10.

[gsmittle]

1. C'Man, you need a new hobby. All this thinking can't be good for you.

2. If time is a quantum function (hope that's the right word), then there is a smallest unit. If time is continuous, then there is no smallest unit. If time is money, then we need more time, not less.

3. This type of stuff keeps me awake at night. Cut it out!

Time for breakfast...

g.

[Alex Franke]

There are many explanations for the measurement of time, and what may be the shortest measure.

One theory states the the shortest measured length of time was 10^-18 seconds.

Another talks about Planck Time.

And then there are words that I can hardly spell like:
attoseconds
yoctoseconds
exaseconds
zeptoseconds

But we can use any word for the length of time by using one of any words and just say "Well how about half of that?" That kind of discussion can go on for infinity, like half a picosecond, then half of that to some infinity power. It can get mind boggling.

So my question: Is there a simple word to describe the shortest length/period of time?
.

I don't think there is a shortest period of time. Planck Time is just the time it takes light in a vacuum (such as your Delta AP400 ) to travel a Planck length, which is just some constant (but very small) distance.

Atto, zepto and yocto are just increasingly smaller subdivisions of something, so a yoctosecond is to a second as a second is to about 2.5 billion billion years. But you can still cut it in half.

There are an infinite number of subdivisions of anything, so you could just keep on cutting your length of time in half and get something shorter.

So I guess there's always more time in the day if you just look closely enough...

[germdoc]

I was gonna say the interval between when you make a mistake and your wife notices it...

[Alex Franke]

At the risk of offending everyone - who cares?

Are you kidding? I *love* this stuff! :P

[shoottx]

I thought it was the elpased time from my idea of acquirring a new tool () and the LOML's negative response.

[BobSch]

Is there a simple word to describe the shortest length/period of time?
.

How about 1/∞ ?

[crokett]

I was gonna say the interval between when you make a mistake and your wife notices it...

Ya beat me too it. And the opposite, the longest known period of time is how long she remembers your mistakes.