Enter the frequency and choose from hertz, kilohertz, megahertz, gigahertz and revolutions per minute. Hertz means cycles per second, so a rate of 60 hertz is 60 cycles a second, and 3,600 revolutions per minute is 60 revolutions per second, or 60 hertz. Take values from a radio dial, a processor specification, an electrical supply or a motor plate.
Frequency Converter: worked example
| Frequency to convert | 3,600 |
|---|---|
| Starting unit | Revolutions per minute |
| Requested unit | Hertz |
| Converted value | 60 |
| 1 unit of "from" in "to" units | 0.017 |
Frequency Converter: formula
Common error: Forgetting the 60 when switching between RPM and hertz. A machine at 3,600 RPM runs at 60 hertz, not 3,600.
Electrical frequency, shaft rotational frequency and pulse frequency can differ. Motor pole count relates synchronous speed to electrical frequency, and induction-machine slip can make operating shaft speed lower. This converter changes units without modeling poles, slip or gear ratios.
A processor’s clock cycles likewise are not a count of instructions completed per second.
Frequency Converter: changing Frequency to convert
| Frequency to convert | Converted value | 1 unit of "from" in "to" units |
|---|---|---|
| 2,880 | 48 | 0.017 |
| 3,240 | 54 | 0.017 |
| 3,600 (example) | 60 | 0.017 |
| 3,960 | 66 | 0.017 |
| 4,320 | 72 | 0.017 |
Frequency Converter: compare input ranges
| Input | Tested from | To | Converted value: low input | Converted value: high input | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting unit | Hertz | Revolutions per minute | 3,600 | 60 | 3,540 (5999999999900%) |
| Requested unit | Hertz | Revolutions per minute | 60 | 3,600 | 3,540 (6000%) |
| Frequency to convert | 3,240 | 3,960 | 54 | 66 | 12 (20%) |
Frequency Converter: individual input comparisons
| Input | Value | Converted value | 1 unit of "from" in "to" units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency to convert | 2,880 | 48 | 0.017 |
| 3,240 | 54 | 0.017 | |
| 3,600 | 60 | 0.017 | |
| 3,960 | 66 | 0.017 | |
| 4,320 | 72 | 0.017 | |
| Starting unit | Hertz | 3,600 | 1 |
| Kilohertz | 3,600,000 | 1,000 | |
| Megahertz | 3,600,000,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| Gigahertz | 3,600,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 | |
| Revolutions per minute | 60 | 0.017 | |
| Requested unit | Hertz | 60 | 0.017 |
| Kilohertz | 0.06 | 0.00002 | |
| Megahertz | 0.00006 | 0 | |
| Gigahertz | 0 | 0 | |
| Revolutions per minute | 3,600 | 1 |
Frequency Converter: which assumptions move the result?
Frequency Converter: values and definitions
| Quantity and definition | Value used |
|---|---|
| Frequency to convert | 3,600 |
| Starting unit — Unit to convert from. | Revolutions per minute |
| Requested unit — Unit to convert to. | Hertz |
| Converted value | 60 |
| 1 unit of "from" in "to" units | 0.017 |
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Frequency counts cycles per second, and different machines count them in different ways. An engine at 3,600 revolutions per minute turns once per 60th of a second, so it runs at 60 hertz. Radio uses kilohertz, megahertz and gigahertz, each a thousand times the last.
The converter handles both worlds: the prefixes are exact multiples, and the RPM conversion divides by 60. Reference values: 60 hertz is 3,600 RPM, 50 hertz is 3,000 RPM, and one gigahertz is a thousand megahertz. A processor at 3.5 gigahertz completes 3.5 billion cycles every second.
Mains electricity runs at 60 hertz in North America and 50 hertz in much of Europe, FM radio sits between 88 and 108 megahertz, and Wi-Fi uses the 2.4 and 5 gigahertz bands.
Cycles per minute and cycles per second differ by a factor of 60. A motor rated at 1,800 is turning, not oscillating at 1,800 hertz.
Convert angles on the angle converter, time on the time converter and speed on the speed converter. The RC time constant calculator gives a cutoff frequency, and the physics calculators cover waves. The data rate converter deals with bits per second, another rate.
Does a 60 Hz power supply always mean a 3600 rpm motor?
No. Pole count and motor type affect synchronous speed; slip and load can affect operating speed. The displayed rpm is a conversion of cycles to revolutions under a one-cycle-per-revolution assumption.
Is GHz the same as billions of instructions per second?
No. GHz measures billions of clock cycles per second. Instructions may take multiple cycles or execute in parallel, so clock rate alone does not give instruction throughput.
What is one hertz?
One cycle per second. A frequency of 60 hertz repeats 60 times every second.
How do I convert rpm to hertz?
Divide the revolutions per minute by 60. So 3,600 rpm is 60 hertz.
What range of frequencies can people hear?
Roughly 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz, with the upper limit falling with age.