The electronic clock is almost identical to its smaller counterpart the electronic watch. The timing signals are derived from a quartz crystal which 'beats' at a rate of some 100,000 pulses per second. These pulses are counted by microchips and displayed on the front panel. Because digital clocks are often built with an alarm and radio they are often used in the bedroom. For this reason the glowing LED (Light Emitting Diode) display is more often used than the watches, lower power, LCD (Liquid Crystal) display allowing them to be viewed in total darkness.
