one microsecond

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "one microsecond" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing time intervals, particularly in scientific or technical contexts where precision is important. Example: "The computer processed the data in just one microsecond, showcasing its incredible speed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

That doesn't sound like much, but the previous record was one microsecond, and that took several months on a Cray supercomputer.

The New York Times - Science

These signals are kept to within less than one microsecond of UTC, with transmission delays that vary depending on the time of day and how far the receiver is from Colorado.

The New York Times - Tech

A switching period must not exceed one microsecond.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

So being faster by as little as one microsecond is enough to grab all the profit.

The Guardian - Opinion

Residuals (unexplained variations) in δ averaged one microsecond for 30 minutes of observation.

Britannica

Liboff's 15 minutes of fame lasted "just about one microsecond," he proclaimed with his customary precision.

Cornell University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

As an example of these high computational demands, consider that a one-microsecond simulation of a relatively small system (approximately 25,000 atoms) running on 24 processors takes several months to complete.

BMC Biology

The clock used to timestamp the packet records had a one-microsecond resolution.

University of California, Berkeley

The average lifetime of a nitrogen tetroxide molecule at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, for example, is about one-third of a microsecond (one-millionth of a second).

Encyclopedia Britannica

On one hand, the conventional simulation time has risen from nanoseconds to microseconds or even milliseconds, due to the improvement in both computer hardware and algorithms.

Protein & Cell

The fastest any high-speed trader's signal could travel from the first exchange it reached to the last one was 465 microseconds, or one two-hundredth of the time it takes to blink.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When precision is crucial, use "one microsecond" instead of vague terms like "a moment".

Common error

Avoid confusing "one microsecond" (1/1,000,000 of a second) with "one millisecond" (1/1,000 of a second). This error can lead to significant inaccuracies in scientific and technical contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "one microsecond" functions primarily as a noun phrase. It denotes a specific, quantifiable duration of time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's usable in technical and scientific contexts. The phrase also serves as an adverbial modifier, specifying the speed or duration of an action or event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "one microsecond" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term, particularly in technical and scientific fields. As Ludwig AI highlights, it serves as a precise measurement of time, equivalent to one millionth of a second. Its usage spans across various contexts, including scientific research, news reports about technological advancements, and encyclopedic definitions, indicating its relevance and importance in communicating specific time intervals. When greater precision is needed, it's a more appropriate term than vague terms like "a moment". While alternatives like "a millionth of a second" or "1 μs" exist, "one microsecond" offers a clear and readily understandable way to convey this unit of time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a millionth of a second

Expresses the same duration using a fractional representation.

0.000001 seconds

Represents the duration in decimal form.

1 μs

Uses the standard abbreviation for microsecond.

one-millionth second

Hyphenated form emphasizing the fraction of a second.

extremely short duration

Describes the duration qualitatively, focusing on its brevity.

very brief interval

Emphasizes the temporal aspect and its shortness.

an incredibly short time

Highlights the perceived shortness of the duration.

momentary time frame

Focuses on the fleeting nature of the duration.

split second

Refers to an extremely brief and often imprecisely measured moment.

instant

Implies near-immediacy, though not as precise as "one microsecond".

FAQs

How is "one microsecond" abbreviated?

The standard abbreviation for "one microsecond" is 1 μs. The Greek letter mu (μ) represents "micro-", indicating one millionth.

What is an alternative way to express "one microsecond"?

You can express "one microsecond" as "a millionth of a second" or "0.000001 seconds".

In what fields is the term "one microsecond" commonly used?

The term "one microsecond" is commonly used in fields such as physics, computer science, telecommunications, and engineering, where precise measurements of time are essential.

How does "one microsecond" compare to other units of time?

"One microsecond" is one thousandth of a millisecond, and one millionth of a second. It's significantly shorter than a millisecond or a nanosecond.