How to Convert Minutes in Physics: Step-by-Step Guide
Minute is one of the most generally used units of time. Formerly, it was well-defined as the 60th part of an hour. The average period of earth rotation relative to the sun, which means the 1440th part of the mean solar day also, defines the min. 60 seconds make one min, and 60 minutes make an hour. It means that different times, minutes, seconds, and hours are related to each other.
Moreover, it’s straightforward to convert second into minutes or vice-versa. Similar to it, one can convert minutes into an hour and vice-versa in simple steps. The minute meaning and the relation of min with other units of time are discussed below.
Definition of Minute
Mins refer to a sixtieth of angular measurement degree. It refers to a period, which is equal to one-sixtieth of an hour and sixty seconds.
Process of Converting Seconds to Minutes
In one min, there are 60 seconds. The process of converting number given in seconds into minutes is as follows:
Label the given number of seconds as sec and multiply the number by 1/ 60. This fraction shows that there are 60 seconds in a minute. After multiplying, the correct unit in a minute can be obtained. It is the same way as dividing the given number by 60 seconds. For example, if there are 3600 seconds, then by dividing it by 60 seconds, the answer will be 60 minutes. Mathematically,
3600 sec/ 60 sec = 60 min
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The above picture shows the conversion of a second into minutes and back minutes into seconds.
If the decimal is obtained by dividing the given number by 60 seconds, then convert it back into sec by multiplying with 60. This decimal denotes the number of seconds left. For example, converting 7600 seconds in minutes gives:
7600/ 60 = 126.6 min
Now, 0.6 x 60 = 36 seconds
Hence, the final answer is 126 minutes and 36 seconds.
Process of Converting Minutes to Hours
In one hour, there are 60 minutes. The process of converting the number given in minutes into the hour is as follows:
Label the given number of minutes as mins and multiply the number by 1 hr/ 60 min. This fraction shows that there are 60 minutes in an hour. After multiplying, the correct unit can be obtained. It is the same way as dividing the given number by 60 minutes. For example, if there are 120 minutes, then by dividing it by 60 minutes, the answer will be 2 hours. Mathematically, it can be represented as:
120 mins x 1 hr/60 min = 2 hr
Now, look at how to convert the number given in hour back into minutes.
Multiply the given number in an hour by 60 minutes to get the final answer in minutes. For example, multiplying 3 hours by 60 minutes gives 180 minutes. Mathematically,
3 hrs x 60 min = 180 min
However, if the given number is in hours and minutes like y hours z minutes, then a different procedure is followed to convert it in minutes. One has to convert y hours into minutes by multiplying it by 60. After that, add the obtained number in minutes to the z minutes given. For example,
Convert 2 hours and 45 minutes to minutes.
To do these, convert the given 2 hours into minutes by multiplying as 2 x 60 = 120 minutes.
Now add 120 minutes to 45 minutes, i.e., 120 + 45 = 165 minutes.
Minutes in Quarter of an Hour
One hour equals 60 minutes. One-quarter of an hour is written as ¼.
For finding a total number of minutes in a quarter of an hour, multiply ¼ with 60 minutes. It gives:
(¼) x 60 min = 15 min
Continuing this way, one can calculate the total number of minutes in two-quarters of an hour, three-quarters of an hour, and so on.
Conclusion
Minute is a vital time unite and possesses relation with different units of time. By going through with the above conversion ways, one can understand how to change the minute unit into an hour and second.
FAQs on What Is a Minute in Physics?
1. What is a minute in the context of Physics and how is it defined?
In physics, a minute (min) is a unit of time measurement. While the official SI unit for time is the second, the minute is commonly used for convenience in describing durations that are longer than a few seconds. It is precisely defined as a period of 60 seconds. For example, it is frequently used in calculations involving speed, frequency, and half-life.
2. What is the basic relationship between hours, minutes, and seconds?
The relationship between these common units of time is based on a sexagesimal (base-60) system. Understanding their conversion is fundamental for solving physics problems. The key relationships are:
1 hour = 60 minutes
1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 3600 seconds (60 minutes × 60 seconds)
To learn more about these conversions, you can explore the conversion of hours to minutes in detail.
3. Why is the second the official SI unit of time, and not the minute?
The second is the standard base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI) because scientific measurements require a high degree of precision and standardisation. The definition of a second is based on a fundamental, unchanging property of nature: the transition frequency of a caesium-133 atom. This provides a universally constant and reproducible standard. In contrast, the minute is a derived, non-SI unit defined relative to the second (1 min = 60 s). Using the second as the base unit ensures that all other physical quantities derived from time (like velocity (m/s) or acceleration (m/s²)) are consistent across all scientific disciplines worldwide.
4. How is the term 'minute' used to describe rotational speed?
In physics, rotational speed is often expressed in revolutions per minute (RPM). This unit quantifies how many full rotations or cycles an object completes in one minute. For example, the specifications for a car engine, a hard drive, or a spinning wheel often use RPM. To use this value in standard physics equations (which require SI units), RPM must be converted to radians per second (rad/s), the SI unit for angular velocity.
5. What is the difference between the 'minute' for time and the adjective 'minute' meaning tiny?
This is a common point of confusion due to homographs (words spelled the same but with different meanings and pronunciations). Here’s the difference:
Minute (MIN-it): This is the noun referring to the unit of time, equal to 60 seconds. This is the term used in physics and mathematics. Example: The experiment took 5 minutes to complete.
Minute (my-NOOT): This is an adjective meaning extremely small or insignificant. Example: The scientist observed minute particles under the microscope.
In any scientific context, it's crucial to understand which term is being used based on the pronunciation and the subject matter.
6. How can you calculate the angular speed of a clock's minute hand?
The minute hand of a clock completes one full circle (2π radians or 360°) in 60 minutes. To find its angular speed (ω) in the SI unit of radians per second, we perform the following calculation:
Time period (T) = 60 minutes = 60 × 60 = 3600 seconds.
Angular displacement (θ) for one revolution = 2π radians.
Angular speed (ω) = θ / T = 2π / 3600 s = π / 1800 rad/s.
Thus, the angular speed of a clock's minute hand is approximately 0.001745 rad/s. You can find more solved problems on the angular speed of a minute hand on our platform.
7. In radioactive decay, why is half-life often measured in minutes?
The half-life of a radioactive isotope is the time it takes for half of its atoms to decay. This duration varies enormously between different isotopes, from fractions of a second to billions of years. The unit used to express half-life is chosen for convenience and clarity based on the isotope's decay rate. For isotopes that decay relatively quickly, such as Oxygen-19 (half-life ≈ 27 seconds) or Copper-64 (half-life ≈ 12.7 hours), using seconds or hours is practical. For isotopes like Technetium-99m, which has a half-life of about 6 hours, or others with half-lives like 10 or 60 minutes, using minutes is a convenient intermediate unit that avoids dealing with very large numbers of seconds or small fractions of a day. This makes the values easier to comprehend and use in medical and industrial applications. For example, understanding a radioactive substance with a half-life of 60 minutes is crucial in many physics problems.
8. How many minutes are there in a standard day and a leap year?
Calculating the total minutes in a given period is a straightforward multiplication problem based on the standard time conversions.
In one day: There are 24 hours in a day and 60 minutes in an hour. So, the total minutes are 24 hours × 60 min/hour = 1440 minutes.
In a leap year: A leap year has 366 days. To find the total minutes, we multiply the number of days by the minutes in one day: 366 days × 1440 min/day = 527,040 minutes.
