How many seconds are in a day?

There are 86,400 seconds in a day (24 hours × 60 minutes × 60 seconds). This calculation is useful for converting between daily and second-based measurements.

Why is a minute 60 seconds and not 100?

The sexagesimal (base-60) system originated with the ancient Babylonians around 3000 BC. Sixty is highly divisible (by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 60), making time division convenient for practical purposes.

How accurate is the definition of a second?

The second is defined by atomic cesium clocks with accuracy better than 1 second in 300 million years. This makes atomic time standards suitable for GPS, telecommunications, and scientific research.

Time Converter

Convert time measurements between seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years, and more.

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Popular Time Conversions

s to min min to s h to min d to h yr to d

Complete List of Time Units for Conversion

1 Millisecond [ms] = 0.00100000 Second [s]

Millisecond to Second, Second to Millisecond

1 Microsecond [μs] = 0.00000100000 Second [s]

Microsecond to Second, Second to Microsecond

1 Nanosecond [ns] = 1.00000e-9 Second [s]

Nanosecond to Second, Second to Nanosecond

1 Picosecond [ps] = 1.00000e-12 Second [s]

Picosecond to Second, Second to Picosecond

1 Minute [min] = 60.0000 Second [s]

Minute to Second, Second to Minute

1 Hour [h] = 3600.00 Second [s]

Hour to Second, Second to Hour

1 Day [d] = 86400.0 Second [s]

Day to Second, Second to Day

1 Week [wk] = 604800 Second [s]

Week to Second, Second to Week

1 Month [mo] = 2.62975e+6 Second [s]

Month to Second, Second to Month

1 Year [yr] = 3.15570e+7 Second [s]

Year to Second, Second to Year

Understanding time units

The second is the SI base unit of time, defined by the oscillation frequency of a cesium-133 atom. All other time units (minutes, hours, days) are derived from seconds using fixed conversion factors.

Common time relationships

1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 60 minutes = 3,600 seconds
1 day = 24 hours = 1,440 minutes = 86,400 seconds
1 week = 7 days = 10,080 minutes
1 year ≈ 365.25 days ≈ 31,557,600 seconds

Time measurement applications

Seconds are used for precise measurements in science and physics. Minutes and hours are used for everyday timekeeping. Days, weeks, and years are used for calendar and scheduling purposes. Milliseconds, microseconds, and nanoseconds are used in computing and electronics.

Historical context of time units

Time units have ancient origins. The Babylonians divided the circle into 360 degrees and the hour into 60 minutes, establishing the sexagesimal (base-60) system still used today. Modern seconds are defined using atomic physics rather than astronomical observations, making them incredibly precise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many seconds are in a day?: There are 86,400 seconds in a day (24 hours × 60 minutes × 60 seconds). This calculation is useful for converting between daily and second-based measurements.
Why is a minute 60 seconds and not 100?: The sexagesimal (base-60) system originated with the ancient Babylonians around 3000 BC. Sixty is highly divisible (by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 60), making time division convenient for practical purposes.
How accurate is the definition of a second?: The second is defined by atomic cesium clocks with accuracy better than 1 second in 300 million years. This makes atomic time standards suitable for GPS, telecommunications, and scientific research.

All Converters

Common Unit Systems