How many hours in a day? - Science, Math and Philosophy Forum

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How many hours in a day?

View Poll Results: Okay geniuses, how many hours in a day on earth during the time of the dinosaurs?

23 hours

16 48.48%

24 hours

12 36.36%

25 hours

1 3.03%

12 hours

1 3.03%

Indeterminate since humans were not present

3 9.09%

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02-12-2009 , 07:45 PM

Pokerlogist

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Okay geniuses...How many hours in a day were there during the time of the dinosaurs?

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02-12-2009 , 09:25 PM

Siegmund

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Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,165

When during the age of dinosaurs?

For the earliest dinos, 23 hours might well be right. The end of the age of dinosaurs, 65 million years ago, the consensus estimate is more around 23h40m.

A commonly cited approximation is that the day gets longer by 2 milliseconds per century. There is fossil evidence for 380-day years shortly before the time of dinosaurs, and for 400-ish-day years something like 600 million years ago.

You may want to start by reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_friction and then clicking on some of the references at the end. A now-somewhat-ancient, but classic and readable paper, on the subject is at http://www.grisda.org/origins/01058.htm

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02-13-2009 , 01:38 AM

Stu Pidasso

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Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 12,373

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siegmund

For the earliest dinos, 23 hours might well be right. The end of the age of dinosaurs, 65 million years ago, the consensus estimate is more around 23h40m.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that 400 mya the day was only 22 hours long. I think dinos came into existence 200 mya ago or so.

23 hours is probably the best answer.

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02-13-2009 , 05:58 PM

Pokerlogist

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Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,302

You guys really are geniuses. Yup, 23 hours is the best answer according to Discover magazine. I could also see 24 hours if you used the end of the dinosiar era and rounded.
As time passes, each day is getting a bit longer and longer. Can't get everything done today? There will be more time tommorrow.

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02-16-2009 , 04:59 PM

soon2bepro

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Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,280

So how long did it really take for God to create Earth?

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02-18-2009 , 06:43 AM

Ryanb9

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Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 7,459

Quote:

Originally Posted by soon2bepro

So how long did it really take for God to create Earth?

lol, wait... isnt 1 day on earth one rotation on our axis (the earth's axis) ... so how do you count days before the earth is made and expect to translate that to post-earth-made-days?

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02-18-2009 , 09:36 AM

Hardball47

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryanb9

lol, wait... isnt 1 day on earth one rotation on our axis (the earth's axis) ... so how do you count days before the earth is made and expect to translate that to post-earth-made-days?

Good question. I suppose this might lend some credence to the creationist belief of Earth being built in six days to be allegorical. This will obviously agitate the literalists.

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02-20-2009 , 05:14 PM

Mempho

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Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,296

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hardball47

Good question. I suppose this might lend some credence to the creationist belief of Earth being built in six days to be allegorical. This will obviously agitate the literalists.

Well, we've been arguing this! Also, keep in mind that the space-time relationship would be very different in a Big Bang event if Special Relativity is correct.

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