【Instant】 , 【moment】 , 【minute】 , 【second】 , 【flash】 , 【jiffy】 , 【twinkling】 , 【split second】 are comparable when they mean a particular point of time or a stretch of time of almost imperceptible duration.
【Instant】 and 【moment】 are often used interchangeably, but 【instant】 carries so much stronger a suggestion of infinitely small duration that it is better fitted than 【moment】 for contexts that imply urgency, extreme transiency, or inconceivable swiftness,
【Moment】 , on the other hand, is particularly serviceable when the word or the context carries the implication of a definitely apprehended, even though extremely brief, point of time,
【Minute】 and 【second】 technically apply to measured fractions of an hour, but in the present relation 【minute】 , even more than 【moment】 , suggests an appreciable though short duration of time, and 【second】 , quite as much as 【instant】 , suggests its imperceptible duration.
【Flash】 suggests duration comparable to that of a 【flash】 of lightning; the term is therefore often used when incredible speed in movement, action, or thought is implied.
【Jiffy】 is found chiefly in the phrase in a 【jiffy】 , equivalent to very quickly or directly.
【Twinkling】 , often with an added "of the eye," suggests the quickness of a wink or blink.
Split 【second】 , basically denoting a fractional part of a 【second】 , heightens the implication of brevity as expressed by 【second】 .