why do clocks go clockwise ?

[DrDolittle]

this is not a funny question, it's a pretty serious question.

Regards
drdolittle

 

[IanP]

In that same Northern Hemisphere, however, if you want to check the path of the sun across the heavens, you have to face south, and the sun moves from your left to your right. And these are the reasons why the hands of a clock turn from left to right - clockwise.

Rest you will find here:
**broken link removed**
http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/clockwise.asp
Regards,
IanP

 

[cherrytart]

pure total off the wall guess: to emulate the shadow on a sundial

 

[syedahmar]

its just a convention..

 

[billano786]

As sundial were invented in Northern hemisphere clocks move clockwise. If sundial would have beeen invented in southern hemisphere clocks would have moved ohter way.

 

[rebel]

wud it had mad a diff. if clocks went counterclockwise ??? no. what if we start calling clockwise as counterclockwise and vice-versa. ?? dont get stck in conventions..

 

[echo47]

I agree - don't get stuck in conventions. The clock in our lab goes the other way:
https://www.accoutrements.com/products/10570.html

 

[jinics]

why the clocks's and wrist watches always have 10:10 as there time
why not any other time?
just curious.

 

[echo47]

10:08:36 seems to be a common setting. For example:
https://www.bulova.com/brands/bulova/bulova.aspx

I think advertisers do that because the hand position looks "happy", and they nicely frame the brand name printed on the face. Someone said the practice began in the 1920s.

 

[flatulent]

What is interesting is that races on closed tracks go counterclockwise. You would think that this tendency of human nature would have applied to clocks.

 

[echo47]

Most races are counter-clockwise (important when the vehicle driver sits on the left side), but some are clockwise.

There's probably no fundamental answer to these questions, but here's a bunch of fun info and trivia:
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ask-The-Rick/message/

 

[flatulent]

I have just had an idea about all of this. On the races the spectators see the horses, people, etc. going from left to right. The hands of the clock go left to right in the top half. Most written languages are written from left to right.

 

[IrDA]

there are also lots of languages that are written vertical or even from right to left Your last point is not so relevant

 

[billano786]

Here is one answer for races and staircases.

As the heart is on the left side, for humans and animals, running anticlockwise makes the centifugal force in the body to act from left to right. Whereas it is from right to left for clockwise running.

Superior venecava (the principal vein carriyng blood to heart) takes blood to heart aided by heart suction. This vein carries blood from left to right.

Centrifugal forced due to anticlockwise running helps this suction. If we run clockwisw, the centrifugal force impedes suction.

Clokwise running tires people easily.

The same explains construction of stairways, merry-go-arounds and bullock drawn pelton wheels.