AM and PM are Latin words that are used to refer time. AM and PM are the abbreviated terms for Ante Meridiem and Post Meridiem respectively. While AM represents the time from midnight to 11:59 noon, and PM represents the time from 12 noon to 11:59 midnight. The initial 12-hour period which lasts from midnight to noon is designated with AM while the next 12-hour period which lasts from noon to midnight is designated with PM. Let us learn more about the meaning of AM and PM in this article.
| 1. | AM and PM |
| 2. | Convert AM PM to 24 Hour Clock |
| 3. | Convert 24 Hour Clock to AM PM Clock |
| 4. | FAQs on AM PM |
AM and PM
Time is divided into hours, minutes, and seconds. Each day has 24 hours, each hour has 60 minutes, and each minute has 60 seconds. For example, 8:20 means 8 Hours and 20 Minutes. Time is displayed in two ways. The first is through a 24-hour clock, and the other is through an AM-PM clock.
Meaning of AM and PM - AM PM Full Form
The abbreviation 'AM' stands for Ante Meridiem, which means it is the time before the meridian line has crossed the Sun, or, the time between midnight and 11.59 in the morning. PM stands for Post-Meridiem, which means it is the time after the meridian line has crossed the Sun, or, the time between noon and 11.59 at night.
The 12-hour clock method defines all 24 hours of the day using the numbers 1 to 12, followed by am or pm. 5 AM is early in the morning and 5 PM is late in the afternoon; 1 AM is one hour after midnight, and 11 PM is one hour before midnight. Ante Meridiem is generally referred to as AM, am, a.m., or A.M., whereas, PM, pm, p.m., or P.M. are typically abbreviated for Post Meridiem.
Convert AM PM Clock to a 24-Hour Clock
We can convert an AM-PM clock to a 24-hour clock by subtracting 12 hours from the given hour of the day (midnight to 12:59 a.m.)
| Example | Conversion to 24-hour clock | Tips for Conversion |
|---|---|---|
12:00 AM | 12 - 12 = 00:00 | Subtract 12 hours from the time after 12 noon. The hours and minutes remain the same from 1:00 AM to 11:59 AM. |
3:17 PM | 3:17 + 12 = 15:17 | Add 12 hours for time which ranges from 1:00 PM to 11:59 PM. |
Convert a 24-Hour Clock to AM-PM Clock
We can convert a 24-hour clock to an AM-PM clock by attaching 12 hours from the first hour of the day (0:00 / midnight to 0:59) and AM to the time.
| Example | Conversion to AM-PM clock | Tips for conversion |
|---|---|---|
0:40 | 12:40 AM 1:55 AM 3:45 AM | Simply add AM to the time, from 1:00 to 11:59 |
16:55 21:45 13:00 | 4:55 PM 8:45 PM 1:00 PM | Subtract 12 hours and at the end add PM to the time for intervals between 13:00 and 23:59 |
AM vs PM
The AM and PM differences can be seen in the following table.
| AM | PM |
| AM stands for Ante Meridiem | PM stands for Post Meridiem |
| AM represents the time from midnight to 11:59 noon | PM represents the time from 12 noon to 11:59 midnight. |
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FAQs on AM PM
What is AM and PM Time?
AM and PM are units that are used to represent time in a 12-hour clock. From midnight to 11:59 noon, the time is represented as AM, and from 12 noon to 11:59 midnight, it is represented as PM. AM means Ante Meridiem and PM means Post Meridiem.
What Time is 11:59 PM?
11:59 PM refers to the night time just before midnight. If we convert 11:59 to the 24-hour clock, we get, 11:59 + 12, that is, 23.59 which is just a minute away from 12 midnight.
Is PM Morning or Night?
PM refers to the time from 12 noon to 11:59 midnight. Therefore, it lasts from noon to midnight.
What Does AM and PM Stand For?
The abbreviation 'AM' stands for ante-meridiem, which is the time before the meridian line has crossed the Sun, and 'PM' stands for post-meridiem, which is the time after the meridian line has crossed the Sun.
How to Convert AM PM to 24 Hours?
While converting a time in AM to 24 hours, the hours and minutes remain the same. For example, 10 AM remains 10:00. However, when we convert a time in PM to 24 hours, we add 12 hours and remove the units. For example, 3:00 PM becomes, 3:00 + 12 = 15:00
Are 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM the Same?
No, 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM are not the same. Since AM (ante meridiem) means before noon, 8 AM refers to 8 o'clock in the morning, whereas, PM (post meridiem) means afternoon so it refers to any time after midday till midnight. Thus, 8 PM refers to 8 o'clock in the late evening or night.
Is Noon 12 AM or 12 PM?
12 PM is noon whereas 12 AM is midnight. And if it refers to noon, it means 12 p.m.
Is 12 AM Midnight?
Yes, 12 AM refers to the time of midnight when the clock strikes 12.
12 Noon is AM or PM?
12 noon refers to the time which is neither AM nor PM. At this time of the day, the Sun is directly over the meridian and that is the reason why it is neither AM nor PM. The same rule applies to 12 midnight, which is also neither AM nor PM. However, technically, 12 noon refers to the time of the afternoon when the sun is overhead.
What is 12:30 AM in 24-Hour Format?
12:30 AM in the 24-hour format is expressed as 00:30 because we subtract 12 hours from the time after 12 noon. Here, 12:30 - 12 = 00:30. It is to be noted that the hours and minutes remain the same from 1:00 AM to 11:59 AM.
Is Noon AM or PM?
Technically, 12 PM refers to noon and 12 AM refers to midnight.
Is 12 PM Noon or Midnight?
12 PM technically refers to 12 noon when the Sun is directly over the meridian.
What is the Full Form of AM and PM?
The full form of AM is Ante Meridiem and the full form of PM is Post Meridiem. Here, AM represents the time from midnight to 11:59 noon, and PM represents the time from 12 noon to 11:59 midnight.
