Picosecond to Shake Converter
Unit Converter
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28 units available
6 categories total
How to Convert Picosecond to Shake
To convert ps to seconds: multiply by 10⁻¹². To convert ps to nanoseconds: divide by 1,000.
1 ps = 10⁻¹² s = 1,000 fs = 0.001 ns. Light travels about 0.3 mm in one picosecond.
For example, 1 Picosecond (ps) = 0.0001 Shake (shake).
Picosecond to Shake — Common Values
| Picosecond (ps) | Shake (shake) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 0.00001 |
| 0.5 | 0.00005 |
| 1 | 0.0001 |
| 2 | 0.0002 |
| 5 | 0.0005 |
| 10 | 0.001 |
| 25 | 0.0025 |
| 50 | 0.005 |
| 100 | 0.01 |
| 500 | 0.05 |
| 1000 | 0.1 |
About Picosecond (ps)
Definition
The picosecond is a unit of time equal to 10⁻¹² seconds — one trillionth of a second.
Mathematical Relationship
1 ps = 10⁻¹² s = 1,000 fs = 0.001 ns. Light travels about 0.3 mm in one picosecond.
Conversion Formula
To convert ps to seconds: multiply by 10⁻¹². To convert ps to nanoseconds: divide by 1,000.
Practical Applications
Fiber optic signal timing, semiconductor switching speeds, and laser pulse durations in medical and industrial applications.
Interesting Facts
Light travels only about 0.3 mm (the thickness of a hair) in one picosecond. Modern transistors switch in just a few picoseconds.
Common Mistakes
Confusing picoseconds with nanoseconds — they differ by a factor of 1,000. In computing specs, read units carefully.
Educational Tips
Think of light distance: light goes ~30 cm in 1 ns and only ~0.3 mm in 1 ps. That's the speed/time relationship at this scale.
About Shake (shake)
Definition
A shake is an informal unit of time equal to 10 nanoseconds (10⁻⁸ seconds), used in nuclear physics.
Mathematical Relationship
1 shake = 10 ns = 10⁻⁸ s = 10,000 ps. A nuclear fission event takes about 1 shake.
Conversion Formula
To convert shakes to seconds: multiply by 10⁻⁸. To nanoseconds: multiply by 10.
Practical Applications
Timing nuclear chain reactions, modeling neutron transport in reactors, and nuclear weapon physics calculations.
Interesting Facts
In a nuclear explosion, the chain reaction is complete in about 50–60 shakes (500–600 ns). The name reflects the era's dark humor.
Common Mistakes
Not recognizing 'shake' as a real unit. It's informal but precisely defined and still used in nuclear engineering.
Educational Tips
A 'shake' = 10 nanoseconds. It was invented at Los Alamos to make nuclear timing calculations easier — humor in extreme circumstances.