Revolutions per minute converted to hertz.
Revolutions per minute to Kilohertz Converter — rpm to kHz
Convert Revolutions per minute (rpm) to Kilohertz (kHz) using the exact conversion factor (1 revolutions per minute = 0.0000166667 kilohertz). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, history, and common uses.
Revolutions per minute to Kilohertz converter
Converter
Frequency Converter
Convert hertz, SI frequency prefixes, RPM, beats per minute, and angular frequency.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
Kilohertz is 1000 hertz units.
Result = input x 0.01666666667 / 1000.
Frequency uses hertz as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Revolutions per minute to Kilohertz
Revolutions per minute and Kilohertz both describe how fast something cycles or rotates, and the conversion is a routine part of reading a car tachometer or motor spec sheet against a scientific frequency figure. Revolutions per minute is most often used for engine and motor speed specifications (car tachometers).
Formula
kilohertz = revolutions per minute × 0.0000166666666667
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 revolutions per minute equals 0.0166666666667 base units, and 1 kilohertz equals 1000 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct revolutions per minute-to-kilohertz factor of 0.0000166666666667.
Simple example
1 rpm × 0.00001666666667 = 0.0000166667 kHz
1 revolutions per minute = 0.0000166667 kilohertz.
Real-world example
1,000 rpm × 0.00001666666667 = 0.0166666667 kHz
1,000 revolutions per minute = 0.0166666667 kilohertz.
Conversion table
| Revolutions per minute (rpm) | Kilohertz (kHz) |
|---|---|
| 60 rpm | 0.001 kHz |
| 600 rpm | 0.01 kHz |
| 1,000 rpm | 0.0166666667 kHz |
| 3,000 rpm | 0.05 kHz |
| 6,000 rpm | 0.1 kHz |
| 10,000 rpm | 0.1666666667 kHz |
Reverse conversion: Kilohertz to Revolutions per minute
0.0000166667 kHz × 60000 = 1.000002 rpm
0.0000166667 kilohertz = 1.000002 revolutions per minute.
revolutions per minute = kilohertz × 60000
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Kilohertz to Revolutions per minute.
Understanding the Revolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute (rpm) measures rotational speed. RPM (revolutions per minute) equals hertz divided by 60, since one revolution per minute is 1/60 of a cycle per second. It is classified as a Non-SI unit (mechanical/automotive).
Where it's used: Used worldwide in automotive, mechanical, and industrial contexts
Uses of the Revolutions per minute today
- Engine and motor speed specifications (car tachometers)
- Industrial machinery and turbine speed ratings
- Hard drive and disc rotational speed
History of the Revolutions per minute
RPM developed alongside rotating machinery in the 19th-century industrial era as a practical, directly-readable way to describe rotational speed (a tachometer counting revolutions per minute), rather than converting to the more abstract cycles-per-second used in physics.
Historical origin. Revolutions per minute was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Understanding the Kilohertz (kHz)
Kilohertz is 1000 hertz units.
Revolutions per minute — sources
- NIST Special Publication 811 — General guide to non-SI unit conventions including rotational speed.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many kilohertz are in 1 revolutions per minute?
1 revolutions per minute equals 0.0000166667 kilohertz, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert revolutions per minute to kilohertz?
Multiply the revolutions per minute value by 0.00001666666667. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert kilohertz back to revolutions per minute?
Use the reverse factor: 1 kilohertz equals 60,000 revolutions per minute. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a revolutions per minute?
Revolutions per minute (rpm) measures rotational speed. RPM (revolutions per minute) equals hertz divided by 60, since one revolution per minute is 1/60 of a cycle per second. It is classified as a Non-SI unit (mechanical/automotive).
What is a kilohertz?
Kilohertz (kHz) is a unit of frequency.
Is the revolutions per minute to kilohertz conversion exact?
Yes. Both revolutions per minute and kilohertz are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 0.00001666666667 used above is exact to as many digits as you choose to display.
Where is the revolutions per minute still used today?
Used worldwide in automotive, mechanical, and industrial contexts