In physics and the philosophy of science, instant refers to an infinitesimal interval in time, whose passage is instantaneous. In ordinary speech, an instant has been defined as 'a point or very short space of time,' a notion deriving from its etymological source, the Latin verb instare, from in- + stare ('to stand'), meaning 'to stand upon or near.'[1]
The continuous nature of time and its infinite divisibility was addressed by Aristotle in his Physics, where he wrote on Zeno's paradoxes. The philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell was still seeking to define the exact nature of an instant thousands of years later.[2]
In physics, a theoretical lower-bound unit of time called the Planck time has been proposed, that being the time required for light to travel a distance of 1 Planck length.[3] The Planck time is theorized to be the smallest time measurement that will ever be possible,[4] roughly 10−43 seconds. Within the framework of the laws of physics as they are understood their lifetime, for times less than two Planck time apart, one can neither measure nor detect any change. It is therefore physically impossible, with current technology, to determine if any action exists that causes a reaction in 'an instant', rather than reoccurring after an interval of time too short to observe or measure.
As of October 2020, the smallest time interval certify in regulated measurements is on the order of 397 zeptoseconds (397 × 10−21 seconds).[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th ed. (1999), p. 740.
- ^W. Newton-Smith (1984), 'The Russellian construction of instants', The structure of time, Routledge, p. 129, ISBN978-0-7102-0389-2
- ^'Big Bang models back to Planck time'. Georgia State University. 19 June 2005.
- ^'Planck Time'. COSMOS - The SAO Encyclopedia of Astronomy. Swinburne University.
- ^'Zeptoseconds: New state record in short time measurement'. Science Daily. 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
As of October 2020, the smallest time interval certify in regulated measurements is on the order of 397 zeptoseconds (397 × 10−21 seconds).[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th ed. (1999), p. 740.
- ^W. Newton-Smith (1984), 'The Russellian construction of instants', The structure of time, Routledge, p. 129, ISBN978-0-7102-0389-2
- ^'Big Bang models back to Planck time'. Georgia State University. 19 June 2005.
- ^'Planck Time'. COSMOS - The SAO Encyclopedia of Astronomy. Swinburne University.
- ^'Zeptoseconds: New state record in short time measurement'. Science Daily. 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
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May 27, 2019 GTA San Andreas RZL-Trainer v2.0.1 Mod was downloaded 218856 times and it has 9.40 of 10 points so far. Download it now for GTA San Andreas! Sep 13, 2021 Jameis Winston and the Saints moved the ball at will against the Packers defense and reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers threw two crucial interceptions while leading a lethargic offense, leaving the Packers to fly back to Green Bay with a 0-1 record after a 38-3 smackdown in the Florida heat. The philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell was still seeking to define the exact nature of an instant thousands of years later. 2 In physics, a theoretical lower-bound unit of time called the Planck time has been proposed, that being the time required for light to travel a distance of 1 Planck length.
