GCSE Physics Hz

Frequency in hertz

Frequency has the unit of "per second", but we use a special unit for this: hertz (Hz). Like any unit, we can add prefixes in front of it to make alternatives:

e.g. 1 kilohertz = 1 kHz = 1,000 Hz
1 megahertz = 1 MHz = 1,000,000 Hz
1 gigahertz = 1 GHz = 1,000,000,000 Hz

You will no doubt be using a computer that has a speed of many mega-hertz, or even giga-hertz!

Historical note: hertz is named after the German physicist, Heinrich Hertz (d. 1967)


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