answersLogoWhite

0

"Throughout history, time has been measured by the movement of the earth in relation to the sun and stars. The earliest timekeeper dating from as far back as 3500 BC was the shadow clock, or gnomon, a vertical obelisk that cast a shadow. Devices almost as old as the shadow clock and sundial include the hourglass (in which the flow of sand is used to measure time intervals) and the water clock or clepsydra, in which the flow of water indicates passage of time. All time-pieces require a source of power and a means of transmitting and controlling it. In today's clocks the source of power may be produced by weights, a coiled spring or an electric current. The huge planetary clock-type models, driven by water that originated during the 13th century and discovered in China, the Middle East and North America are considered to be the forerunners of today's mechanical clocks. Eventually a weight falling under the force of gravity was substituted for the flow of water. Although the exact origin of this mechanical device remains a mystery to this day, the first recorded examples date from the 14th century. An original medieval clock dating from 1386 has been fully restored and can be seen at Salisbury Cathedral in England. These clocks were not very accurate and would loose up to 15 minutes a day!" FROM www.holtzhausen.com

User Avatar

Wiki User

17y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Who used water clocks?

I think all egyptians used water clocks.


Did they set sun clocks and water clocks back?

Sun clocks were adjusted by moving the position of the gnomon to account for the changing angle of sunlight, while water clocks were recalibrated by adjusting the flow rate of water through the mechanism.


What is the Disadvantage of water clocks?

One disadvantage of water clocks is that they are prone to leakage, which can affect the accuracy of timekeeping. Additionally, water clocks require regular maintenance and monitoring to ensure they are functioning properly.


Are water clocks used today?

Water clocks are not commonly used today as they have been replaced by more accurate timekeeping devices such as wristwatches, smartphones, and digital clocks. Water clocks were used in ancient times to measure time by tracking the flow of water from one container to another.


What were water clocks used for?

Keeping time, in the days before mechanical clocks.


Who was the ancient Greek engineer who made water clocks and movable figures?

Ctesibus was a Greek inventor who made water clocks with moving figures on them.


What is the predicate noun in Some of the earliest clocks thath didn't depend on the observations of the sun and stars were water clocks?

Apredicateisthepartofthesentencethatcontainstheverbanditsobjectorcomplementsandgivesmoreinformationaboutthesubject.The predicate of this sentence is 'were water clocks'; the predicate noun is water clocks, a compound noun.This noun is a predicate nominative, anoun following a linking verb that restates or stands for the subject 'some'.


In order to tell time at night the ancient Egyptians of 3000 BC used?

Water clocks known as clepsydra, which measured time by the flow of water from one container to another. These clocks had markings that indicated the passing hours as the water dripped.


What type of clocks did people make when there was no electricity or wires?

Before electricity, people made mechanical clocks that were powered by weights or springs. These clocks used gears, escapements, and pendulums to keep time accurately. Sundials and water clocks were other types of timekeeping devices used before the invention of electricity.


What was the clock after water clock?

Oh, dude, the water clock was like the OG clock, you know? It was all about water flowing and telling time way back in ancient times. Then came the good ol' mechanical clocks, like the cuckoo clocks and grandfather clocks. So, technically, the water clock was like the grandpa of all clocks!


Sumerian clocks kept time by using this?

Water.


When did people stop using water clocks?

Because they always need water