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What is an "attosecond"?

Discussion in 'Too Hot for Swamp Gas' started by Trickster, Oct 3, 2023.

  1. Oct 3, 2023 #1
    Trickster

    Trickster VIP Member

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    "An attosecond is a millionth of a trillionth of a second. The number of them in one second is the same as the number of seconds that have elapsed since the universe came into existence, 13.8 billion years ago, ..."

    Good to know, no? It measures the speed of an electron.

    Perhaps this belongs in the WGAS basket.
     
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  2. Oct 3, 2023 #2
    WESGATORS

    WESGATORS Moderator VIP Member

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  3. Oct 3, 2023 #3
    tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    A New York time measurement
     
  4. Oct 3, 2023 #4
    Trickster

    Trickster VIP Member

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    If only we can find a way to build usable quantum computers! That and AI will change mankind’s future.
     
  5. Oct 3, 2023 #5
    DesertGator

    DesertGator VIP Member

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    Not to split hairs here (and maybe it's addressed in the article; don't know because of the paywall), but an attosecond is not a measure of speed. It's a measure of time. If we know how far that electron travels in that attosecond, we'll have its speed. Add a directional vector to it and we have its velocity.
     
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