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Master Clocks are super-accurate clocks that tell time to all the other signal-receiving clocks around the world. Master clocks basically give off signals to slave/radio clocks that are waiting for these signals to tell accurate time. Another very important thing to note at this point is that master clocks are atomic clocks, which are the most accurate way that we have of telling time. Down below is an amazing video explaining what atomic/master clocks are and how they function at length https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=l8CI3bs9rvY&feature=emb_title Atomic/Master clocks are clocks that measure the oscillations (movement) of atoms. This is pretty complicated stuff but the basic concept is that all atoms of a given element vibrate or tick the same number of times per second. To elaborate, there are 9,192,631,770 ticks in one second. And though this number seems a bit weird it is quite important. Since, today the international standard for what a second is based on that many vibrations/ticks of a cesium atom. Moreover, along with being so precise and accurate, some of them also produce radio signals to guide the Slave/radio clocks all over the world like we just discussed Fun fact: The clock that the U.S. uses to calibrate its time is accurate to a second in a 100 million years. So if you had put one of these clocks in the medieval ages they will still tell the correct time in this day and age. Data transmission on the internet, as well as the GPS navigational system and cell phone towers and even the high grid, depends on these types of clock. In conclusion, our high-speed interconnected world works because we can use different pieces of technology using accurate time. So, you take that out of the way, and by that taking them out of the picture we’d say goodbye to the internet, And isn’t that just sad? Moreover, whenever we build a new clock, engineers find some good way to use it. So, in the future, if we develop even more accurate clocks, who knows where they will lead us Why Are Atomic/ Master Clocks So Important? Well, as we have already discussed, atomic/master clocks have a big impact on our world as a whole. Along with guiding clocks all over the world Atomic/ master clocks also have many other uses. Let’s start with the internet, where exact timings are critical. And atomic /master clocks as we know by now is what helps with that accuracy. Moreover, for GPS satellites to work out your precise position, your timing of the signals it sends and receives has to be super accurate. The signals travel at the speed of light, which means that an error of even a single microsecond error translates to an error of 300 meters on the ground. The timing has to be so precise that even tiny effects like relativity need to be tracked. So we do have Einstein to thank for that because if we didn’t have his equations we wouldn’t have a GPS. To be exact with each and every microsecond GPS satellites have to carry atomic clocks. The more accurate the clock is, the more accurate GPS can calculate your location Atomic/Master Clocks And Slave Clocks To sum it all up, telling time and guiding radio/slave clocks all over the world is only a minor helpful thing compared to what other things the atomic/master clock is often used for. When were Atomic/ Master clocks invented? This amazing clock that literally changed how things work in our world came into being in 1949. It was announced by Harold Lyons who was the chief of the microwave standard section at the time. And for those of you who haven’t yet got it, it is not radioactive and cannot be used in a harmful way, despite its name. It was made as there was a need for the timing standard to allow the radio station to stay in their assigned frequency. Atomic Clock And Master Clock Guiding radio/slave clocks all over the world is one thing that atomic clocks do like we said. And this aspect is what gave it the name "Master Clock" as it guides other clocks Some interesting facts About Atomic/ Master clock The invention of the atomic clock also gave us another beautiful concept. It proved that the higher you live above sea level, the faster you age. Another thing that came through with the help of relativityThe first atomic clock used ammonia atoms and was heated and shot out of a copper pipe. Though this proved that the concept of atomic clocks could work, it never was used for timekeeping.In 2008, a second was added to every atomic clock on earth simultaneously. This was to synchronize the atomic clock’s time with the Earth’s rotation. More interestingly, we did not turn the clocks by a second by turning them off for one. But rather, the earth adjusted itself as the rotational speed of earth slows down by two milliseconds every day. What causes this you ask? Well, magnetic storms, solar winds, resistance from its own surface and most importantly of all through the moon’s gravity and the effect it has on itThere is a possibility of an atomic clock that will keep us exact inline with the Universe. How will this be done? Spoiler, things are about to get a bit technical now. The researchers at the University of Nevada and the University of Georgia propose that we could use a laser to rearrange pieces of an atom so that we would be able to use a neutron to act as our pendulum/ oscillating machine. Rather than using an electron that we use now. This would mean the formation of an atomic clock that will be 100 times more accurate than any we have right now. And who knows what doors of opportunities that will birth If you want to see what NASA has to say about atomic clocks, their website has a great article written on just that so do give it a look too if you are interested, “What Is an Atomic Clock?“ And in case you want to know why clocks don’t appear in dreams, we have a great article on just that too so do give it a click if you are interested “Why don’t clocks appear in dreams? Clocks and dreams!“

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