What is a tie break?

I hope I am not the only one that does not really understand what it is? 

When you look at the ranking in a tournament, you will see these 'things' count as well... But why? And what are they?

http://www.chess.com/tournaments/help#tiebreak

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with time, because it is used in turn-based games as well.

apologies... see link for further details :)

No problem. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

It can be used to determine which player advances when there is a tie score. In a tie score, the person with the higher tie break score advances.

In London is a fair where this wonderful girl that makes wooden ties that can bend into pieces

On the picture, you see her pull her tie into different pieces !!! 

A tie-break is when you pause for a moment to straighten your tie.

good one

Actually, and the last post was funny, I believe that when two players have the same score at the end of a tournament they total the scores of all the players they won against and add to that HALF the total scores of those they drew with. I think thats it. I asked just before a started a fischer random (chess 960) tournamrnt Im in. Thats how I understand it. But i just went 6-0 in the first part of the tourny so i wouldnt have to worry about it, its s much simpler that way.....

Right. So after your opponent tried to strangle you? 

The tie-break system doesn't make any sense. I think we should use a much simpler method. maybe even two players could advance.