Revolutions per minute converted to hertz.
Revolutions per minute to Revolutions per second Converter — rpm to rps
Convert Revolutions per minute (rpm) to Revolutions per second (rps) using the exact conversion factor (1 revolutions per minute = 0.0166666667 revolutions per second). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, history, and common uses.
Revolutions per minute to Revolutions per second converter
Converter
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Revolutions per second.
Result = input x 0.01666666667 / 1.
Frequency units are compatible.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Revolutions per minute to Revolutions per second
Revolutions per minute and Revolutions per second are both scientific-measurement units, spanning everything from atomic and laboratory scales to astronomical distances — the kind of conversion that comes up constantly in physics, chemistry, and astronomy when a result needs to move between conventions used in different subfields. Revolutions per minute is most often used for engine and motor speed specifications (car tachometers).
Formula
revolutions per second = revolutions per minute × 0.0166666666667
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 revolutions per second equals 1 base unit, so dividing one by the other gives the direct revolutions per minute-to-revolutions per second factor of 0.0166666666667.
Simple example
1 rpm × 0.01666666667 = 0.0166666667 rps
1 revolutions per minute = 0.0166666667 revolutions per second.
Real-world example
10 rpm × 0.01666666667 = 0.1666666667 rps
10 revolutions per minute = 0.1666666667 revolutions per second.
Conversion table
| Revolutions per minute (rpm) | Revolutions per second (rps) |
|---|---|
| 0.001 rpm | 0.0000166667 rps |
| 0.01 rpm | 0.0001666667 rps |
| 1 rpm | 0.0166666667 rps |
| 10 rpm | 0.1666666667 rps |
| 100 rpm | 1.666666667 rps |
| 1,000 rpm | 16.66666667 rps |
Reverse conversion: Revolutions per second to Revolutions per minute
0.0166666667 rps × 60 = 1.000000002 rpm
0.0166666667 revolutions per second = 1.000000002 revolutions per minute.
revolutions per minute = revolutions per second × 60
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Revolutions per second 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 Revolutions per second (rps)
Revolutions per second.
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 revolutions per second are in 1 revolutions per minute?
1 revolutions per minute equals 0.0166666667 revolutions per second, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert revolutions per minute to revolutions per second?
Multiply the revolutions per minute value by 0.01666666667. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert revolutions per second back to revolutions per minute?
Use the reverse factor: 1 revolutions per second equals 60 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 revolutions per second?
Revolutions per second (rps) is a unit of scientific units.
Is the revolutions per minute to revolutions per second conversion exact?
Yes. Both revolutions per minute and revolutions per second are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 0.01666666667 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
Why does this category span everything from atomic to astronomical scales?
Scientific work spans an enormous range of physical scales, from atomic distances (measured in angstroms or atomic mass units) to interstellar distances (measured in astronomical units or parsecs), so this category groups SI-derived and scale-specific units that researchers commonly need to convert between within their field.