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| Convert from radian to second |
Unit Definition (radian) The radian is a unit of angle measure widely used in mathematics and science. One radian is the angle at the center of a circle that cuts off an arc of length equal to the radius. Since the circumference equals 2 pi times the radius, one radian equals 1/(2 pi) of the circle, or approximately 57.295 779°. Using radians to measure angles seems unnatural at first. However, when angles are stated in radians the constant pi tends to disappear from the equations, and this greatly simplifies calculation. For example, the length of an arc is simply its radius multiplied by its angular measure in radians, and the area of a sector of a circle is simply its angular measure in radians multiplied by half the square of the radius. The radian was defined and named by James Thomson in 1873. Thomson was a mathematics professor at Queen's College, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the brother of the famous physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin. Unit Definition (second) The second is a unit of angular measure equal to 1/60 arcminute. This unit is also called the arcsecond to distinguish it from the second of time. One second is a very small angle indeed: there are 1 296 000 seconds in a circle. The SI defines s as the symbol for the time unit and recommends " as the symbol for the arcsecond. The international standard ISO 31 recommends that angles be stated in degrees and decimal fractions of the degree, without use of arcminutes and arcseconds.
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