How Clocks Work

A picture of a clock. — Ever wondered how a clock works? Peter Dazeley / Getty Images

Clocks are one of the very first complex machines created by humans. Initially they all had pendulums and gears, but now they come in many different forms, from quartz watches to atomic clocks! Here are the HowStuffWorks articles that explain how they all work:

How Pendulum Clocks Work
How Quartz Watches Work
How Digital Clocks Work
How Atomic Clocks Work
Inside a wind-up alarm clock
How do radio-controlled clocks that set themselves to the atomic clock in Colorado work?
How Time Works

Frequently Answered Questions

What is a timecard for work?

A timecard is a document used to record the hours worked by an employee.