Time Scale

A time scale specifies divisions of time.

• Time standard, a specification of either the rate at which time passes, or points in time, or both
• Duration (disambiguation), a quantity of time

• Geological time scale, a scale that divides up the history of Earth into scientifically meaningful periods

• In astronomy and astrophysics:
  • Dynamical time scale either (in stellar physics) measures the length of time over which changes in one part of a body can be communicated to the rest of that body, or (in celestial mechanics) is a realization of a time-like argument based on a dynamical theory
  • Nuclear time scale, estimates the lifetime of a star based solely on its rate of fuel consumption
  • Thermal time scale, estimates the lifetime of a star once its fuel reserves at its center are used up or if they were to disappear

• In cosmology and particle physics:
  • Planck time, the time scale beneath which quantum effects are comparable in significance to gravitational effects

• In mathematics:
  • Time scale calculus, the unification of the theory of difference equations with differential equations

• In music:
  • rhythm, a temporal pattern of events
  • Time scale (music), divides up music into sections based on the scope