Time sure does drag slowly sometimes, but do you know whether your internal clock is running slow or fast?
See if your brain is a good time keeper and whether you can make a sand glass or egg timer to measure 86 seconds. Why 86 seconds? We’ll explain in a decimal minute!
Place the funnel into the plastic food container. Pour in an amount of sand that you think would take 86 seconds to flow through the funnel. You can only use your brain to work out the 86 seconds. You are NOT ALLOWED to use your wristwatch, stopwatch, mobile phone or other time keeping device! Not even a grandfather clock!
Once everyone has made and tested their sand glass, set them off at the same time and see if everyone measured out the same amount of sand. You’re allowed to use a stopwatch now to check whose sandglass came closest to 86 seconds.
Well, maybe you have a three minute egg-timer at home that runs on traditional time, based on the numbers 12 and 60.
Decimal time is based on the number 10—a bit like how measurements such as length in metres or mass in grams are based on the number 10.
One decimal minute is 86 seconds in regular time.
We've got a pair of clocks here on the web site that show you how decimal time compares to standard time. Take a look! And when you visit the Measure Island exhibition, be sure and check out Worth the Wait. Can you hold its button down for exactly 15 seconds?
