UTC

Definition of UTC

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is an international standard for timekeeping that serves as the primary reference for regulating clocks and time synchronization around the world. It is used by a wide range of industries including aviation, maritime, telecommunications, and computer networks.

UTC is based on the concept of atomic time, which uses the vibrations of atoms to measure time with extreme accuracy. It is kept in sync with the rotation of the Earth by leap seconds, which are added periodically to account for variations in the planet’s spin.

The order of the initials in UTC comes from its usage in Romance languages, which place the coordinating adjective before the noun. UTC is commonly used as a basis for civil timekeeping around the world, and it is the official time standard employed by several organizations, including the International Telecommunication Union and the World Meteorological Organization.

Overall, UTC plays a crucial role in ensuring that everyone around the world experiences the same notion of time, making it a fundamental component of our global society.