1 Hz in every unit
Values update with the converter above. Select a row to open that conversion's detailed page.
Popular conversions
4 pairsHertz ↔ Kilohertz
Hz ↔ kHz
Megahertz ↔ Gigahertz
MHz ↔ GHz
Hertz ↔ Megahertz
Hz ↔ MHz
Hertz ↔ Gigahertz
Hz ↔ GHz
Unit guides
4 unitsDetailed guide to this category
Frequency measures how many times an event repeats per second.
Hertz is the SI unit, and its multiples (kHz, MHz, GHz) are standard across electronics, radio and computing.
- Physical quantity
- Frequency
- SI unit
- Hertz
- SI symbol
- Hz
- Typical use
- Electronics, radio and computing
What is frequency?
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time, named after physicist Heinrich Hertz.
It is used for sound waves, electrical current frequency, processor speed and radio waves.
Hertz and SI prefixes
One hertz represents one cycle per second. SI prefixes scale the unit by powers of one thousand: kilohertz, megahertz and gigahertz are used when a plain hertz value would be inconveniently large.
Frequency values appear in radio tuning, display refresh rates, processors, audio, oscillators and alternating-current systems.
How frequency units are converted
Frequency conversions use decimal SI prefixes. One kilohertz is 1,000 hertz, one megahertz is 1,000 kilohertz, and one gigahertz is 1,000 megahertz.
Frequency is not the same as data-transfer rate: a clock or carrier frequency in hertz does not by itself state how much data a system transfers per second.
Unit comparison table
| Unit | Symbol | SI equivalent | System | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hertz | Hz | 1 Hz = 1 s⁻¹ | SI derived unit | AC power, sound and periodic signals |
| Kilohertz | kHz | 1 kHz = 1,000 Hz | SI prefix | Audio and radio frequencies |
| Megahertz | MHz | 1 MHz = 1,000,000 Hz | SI prefix | Broadcasting and electronics |
| Gigahertz | GHz | 1 GHz = 1,000,000,000 Hz | SI prefix | Processors, Wi-Fi and microwave systems |
Units
| Unit | Symbol | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Hertz | Hz | View unit guide |
| Kilohertz | kHz | View unit guide |
| Megahertz | MHz | View unit guide |
| Gigahertz | GHz | View unit guide |