User talk:JOb

Time-like concepts: terminology
The term "time" is generally used for many closed but different concepts. Speaking exactly, one should distinguish at least between:
 * instant as an object - one point on the time axes. Being an object, it has no value;
 * time interval as an object - part of the time axes limited by two instants. Being an object, it has no value;
 * date as a quantity characterizing time instant. Being a quantity, it has value, say, 2014-04-26T09:42:36,75 in the standard form, or today, 9:42 a.m. in a colloquial form;
 * duration' as a one of quantities characterizing time interval . Being a quantity, it has value, say, 15 minutes. Other quantities describing a time interval are e.g. dates of its begin and end.

From this point of view, the term time can be used as a shorthand or in general sense.

Nevertheless, in an exact text like in definitions, proper term should be chosen:
 * effect occurs during time interval of duration Δt = 5 s (full text)
 * effect occurs during short time interval (given property of that interval)
 * effect occurs during 5 s time interval (given quantity = duration characterizing that interval)
 * effect occurs during 5 s (shorthand)

rather than
 * effect occurs during time interval Δt = 5 s

because Δt is neither name of that interval nor its value (it is its duration - one of more quantities connected to that interval, other quantity being e.g. date of its start instant).

JOb 12:28, 26 April 2014 (UTC)