How Does the Minute Hand Work? Facts, Tips & Examples
Introduction to Clock
We all look towards whenever we need to tell the time, whether for going to school or for waking up early in the morning, the ability to read clock is an important skill. The understanding of the concept of time is an important part of the development of a child. It only helps kids academically, it helps kids to develop an organised daily routine. The understanding of time management is an important life skill. To learn these skills, it is very important for kids to understand the working of a clock. The article deals with defining the working of a clock. The article defines the function of the minute hand, hour hand, and the second hand of the clock.
What is the Clock?
Before understanding how to tell time using a clock, we must understand what a clock is. A clock is a mechanical device that gives information about the time at any given moment of the day or night. The origins of the clock are intriguing to learn about. The analogue watches that we use today evolved from sand dial prototypes. It's fascinating to note that people used to analyse shadows to determine time. The clock is, without a doubt, a valuable invention.
The most commonly used watch today is the analogue watch. The analogue watches are used to teach kids about the minute hand and hour hand of a clock. It contains three hands or pointers that, depending on their position at different times of the day, tell the time.
Parts of the Clock
The minute hand and hour hand are the most important parts of the clock. The minute hand is the comparatively long pointer that is used to tell the minutes in the watch. The short arrow or hand is known as the hour hand. Based on the movement of the hour hand, the time is calculated. The longest hand in the watch is known as the second hand. It is responsible for giving the seconds of the time. The image shown below describes the minute hand and other hands of the watch.
Minute Hand
How to Read an Analogue Watch?
Starting at the top, the clock features 12 digits. To the right of the number 12, we can see 1. If one follows the numbers from right to left, they will progress from 1 to 12.
The minute section is represented by the minute hand by the space between two consecutive digits, such as 1, 2, and 3. The gap between the two consecutive numbers represents the interval of 5 minutes. These segments can be regarded Mathematically as a multiple of five. As a result, 1 denotes five minutes (1 5= 5) and 2 denotes 10 minutes (25 = 10) and so on.
The shorter arrow, the hour hand, points at the number. The number at which it points is considered as the hour at that moment. It can be better understood by the following image.
Clock
In the above-mentioned image, the short hour hand points at 1 whereas the longer minute hand points at 6. The product of 6 5 is 30. Thus, the minute represented here is 30 mins. The time represented in the clock is 1:30. The time shown in the image can also be said as half-past one.
The Use of AM and PM
AM and PM are used to classify the time. The complete form of a.m is ante meridiem, and the extended version of p.m is post meridiem. The hour before noon is referred to as a.m. The period from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. is known as a.m. P.M. refers to the time between the middle of the day to midnight. The period from 12:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. is known as p.m.
This was the complete discussion on the clock. We have learnt about the hour, second, and minute hands of the clock. We have learnt how to read time in an analogue watch. We hope this discussion would help kids to understand how to read the time.
FAQs on Understanding the Minute Hand on a Clock
1. What is the main job of the minute hand on a clock?
The main job of the minute hand, which is the longer hand on a clock, is to point to the minutes. It moves faster than the shorter hour hand and completes a full circle around the clock face every 60 minutes, or one hour.
2. How do you read the exact minutes using the minute hand?
To read the minutes, you look at which large number the minute hand is pointing to and multiply that number by 5. For example:
If the minute hand points to 2, it is 2 x 5 = 10 minutes.
If it points to 4, it is 4 x 5 = 20 minutes.
If it points to 8, it is 8 x 5 = 40 minutes.
3. What is the difference between the hour hand and the minute hand?
The key differences between the hour and minute hands are:
Length: The minute hand is longer, and the hour hand is shorter.
Speed: The minute hand moves faster, completing one full circle in an hour. The hour hand moves much slower, taking 12 hours to complete a circle.
Function: The minute hand shows the minutes, while the hour hand shows the hour.
4. How many minutes have passed when the minute hand moves from the 12 to the 7?
When the minute hand moves from the 12 to the 7, 35 minutes have passed. You can calculate this by multiplying the number the minute hand is pointing to, which is 7, by 5 (7 x 5 = 35).
5. What do the terms 'quarter past' and 'half past' mean in relation to the minute hand?
These terms describe the position of the minute hand:
'Quarter past' means 15 minutes have passed the hour. This happens when the minute hand points to the 3.
'Half past' means 30 minutes have passed the hour. This happens when the minute hand points to the 6.
6. Why is the minute hand longer than the hour hand on a clock?
The minute hand is made longer to make telling time easier and avoid confusion. Its length allows it to clearly point to the small minute marks at the edge of the clock face, while the shorter hour hand points more generally to the large hour numbers. This design helps you quickly tell the two hands apart.
7. How are the movements of the minute hand and the hour hand connected?
The hands work together. For the hour hand to move from one number to the next (for example, from 2 to 3), the minute hand must first complete one full circle around the clock face. This full circle by the minute hand takes exactly 60 minutes, which is equal to one hour.
8. Can you tell the time accurately with only the minute hand? Why or why not?
No, you cannot tell the time accurately with only the minute hand. While you would know the minutes past an hour (for example, '25 minutes past'), you would have no idea which hour it is. You need the shorter hour hand to know if it is 1:25, 2:25, or any other hour.
9. Why do you multiply by 5 to calculate the minutes, and not some other number?
You multiply by 5 because a full hour has 60 minutes, and a clock face has 12 numbers. The 60 minutes are divided evenly among these 12 numbers. When you divide 60 by 12, you get 5. This means there is a gap of 5 minutes between each large number on the clock face.
