The history of clocks is very long. There are many different types of clocks over the years. The word ‘clock’ was first used in the 14th century. It comes from the word for bell in Latin (“clocca”). The very first timekeepers were natural clocks such as the sun, moon and stars.
Ancient people used sticks and stones to find out the time around 3500 B.C. When it was between 3500 BCE and 1949, the inventors improved clocks, and became the clock that we use now. Clock is the most helpful invention in the world. Firstly, clock is magical that have different names and faces. Next, clock makes our life easier and the special quartz clock. Lastly, clock helps us to organize and manage our time. Clock helps us a lot. Therefore, it is the most helpful invention in the world! 4000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used stone pillars and sticks called gnomon to find out the time. As the sun shines on an upright or tilted stick, people therefore measure the time of the day by the length of the shadows. It is the shadow clock. In 3500 BC, Egyptians built the sundial. A sun clock is a clock that needs sunlight and sticks and stones to tell the time. First you need to put the stones in a circle. Second, put the stick in the middle of the circle and when the sun comes, you will know the time. Sun clock can just comprehend the time when the sun comes up from the hill.
Ancient people wanted to measure time at night as well as in daytime. They could not use sunlight to measure at night, so they created a water clock. Egyptians invented the water clock in 1400 BC. It was a stone bowl with a hole at the bottom. They were made from two containers of water, one higher than the other. The bowl was filled with water. The water then travelled from the higher container to the lower container through a tube. As the water come out, its falling level indicated the passing of time.
The Chinese inventor called Su Song
References: Books 1. Navin Sullivan. (2007) Time. New York. Marshall Covendish Corporation 2. Mary and John Gribbin. (1998) Time and Space. New York. Dorling Kindersley 3. Anita Ganeri. (1996) From Candle to quartz Clock. London. Evans Brothers Limited Web link http://search.ebscohost.com/ http://kids.britannica.com/