Kilobit to Petabit Converter
Convert kilobits to petabits with our free online data storage converter.
Quick Answer
1 Kilobit = 1.000000e-12 petabits
Formula: Kilobit × conversion factor = Petabit
Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.
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All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.
Kilobit to Petabit Calculator
How to Use the Kilobit to Petabit Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Kilobit).
- The converted value in Petabit will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Data Storage category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Kilobit to Petabit: Step-by-Step Guide
Converting Kilobit to Petabit involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Kilobit = 1.0000e-12 petabitsExample Calculation:
Convert 10 kilobits: 10 × 1.0000e-12 = 1.0000e-11 petabits
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
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Need to convert to other data storage units?
View all Data Storage conversions →What is a Kilobit and a Petabit?
A kilobit (kb or kbit) is a multiple of the bit unit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix kilo- (symbol k) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 103 (1 thousand). Therefore, 1 kilobit = 1000 bits.
A petabit (Pb or Pbit) is a multiple of the bit unit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix peta- (symbol P) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 1015 (1 quadrillion, or 1 followed by 15 zeros). Therefore, 1 petabit = 1,000,000,000,000,000 bits. This is equivalent to 1,000 terabits (Tb) or 1,000,000 gigabits (Gb).
Note: The Kilobit is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Petabit belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Kilobit and Petabit
The use of the "kilo" prefix for bits emerged alongside its use for bytes as computer systems grew. While "kilobyte" was often ambiguously used for 1024 bytes (correctly kibibyte), the term "kilobit" (especially in data transmission contexts) more consistently adhered to the SI standard definition of 1000 bits. The introduction of binary prefixes like 'kibi-' (for kibibit, Kib) aimed to resolve such ambiguities.
As data volumes and network speeds continued to increase dramatically beyond the terabit scale, the petabit became relevant for quantifying extremely large amounts of data and ultra-high transmission capacities. It strictly follows the SI definition of 'peta-' as 1015. The distinction between decimal (petabit, Pb) and binary (pebibit, Pib = 250 bits) became increasingly important at this scale, leading to the formalization of binary prefixes like 'pebi-' by the IEC to avoid ambiguity.
Common Uses and Applications: kilobits vs petabits
Explore the typical applications for both Kilobit (imperial/US) and Petabit (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for kilobits
Kilobits are frequently used in specific contexts:
- Measuring data transfer rates (e.g., internet connection speeds in kbps - kilobits per second, or Mbps - megabits per second).
- Quantifying the capacity of certain types of serial communication channels.
- Specifying audio or video streaming bitrates (e.g., a 128 kbps MP3 audio file).
When to Use petabits
Petabits are primarily used in contexts involving massive data scales:
- Measuring the theoretical or actual data transfer rates of core internet backbones, major international communication links, and large-scale data center networks (often expressed in Pbps - petabits per second).
- Quantifying the aggregate data traffic processed by major internet exchange points (IXPs) or national telecommunications networks over specific timeframes.
- Describing the capacity of cutting-edge optical fiber communication systems and research networks.
- Characterizing the sheer volume of data generated or processed in large scientific endeavors, such as high-energy physics experiments, climate modeling, or large astronomical surveys, especially when discussing data transmission or raw bit counts.
- High-performance computing (HPC) environments dealing with massive datasets.
Additional Unit Information
About Kilobit (kb)
How many bits are in a kilobit (kb)?
There are exactly 1000 bits in 1 kilobit (kb), based on the standard SI definition of the prefix 'kilo-'.
What is the difference between a kilobit (kb) and a kilobyte (KB)?
They measure different aspects of data, though both use the 'kilo-' prefix:
- A kilobit (kb) measures bits and equals 1000 bits. It's often used for data transfer rates.
- A kilobyte (KB) measures bytes and, according to SI standards, equals 1000 bytes. It's often used for file sizes and storage capacity. (Note: Historically, KB was sometimes used informally for 1024 bytes, which is correctly termed a kibibyte (KiB)).
Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 kilobyte (1000 bytes) is equal to 8000 bits. Therefore, a kilobyte represents 8 times more data than a kilobit.
What is the difference between a kilobit (kb) and a kibibit (Kib)?
- A kilobit (kb) uses the decimal SI prefix 'kilo-' and equals 103 bits (1,000 bits).
- A kibibit (Kib) uses the binary IEC prefix 'kibi-' and equals 210 bits (1,024 bits).
A kibibit is 2.4% larger than a kilobit (1 Kib = 1.024 kb). Using Kib provides clarity when specifically referring to 1,024 bits, distinguishing it from the standard kilobit (1000 bits).
Why are internet speeds measured in kilobits (kbps) or megabits (Mbps)?
Data transmission over networks and communication lines often happens serially, meaning one bit is sent after another. Measuring the speed in bits per second (kbps, Mbps, Gbps) provides a direct count of how many of these individual bits can be transferred over the line in one second. Storage capacity (like hard drives or file sizes) is usually measured in bytes (KB, MB, GB) because data is typically organized and accessed in groups of 8 bits (bytes).
About Petabit (Pb)
How many bits are in a petabit?
There are exactly 1,000,000,000,000,000 bits (one quadrillion bits, or 1015 bits) in 1 petabit (Pb), according to the standard SI definition of the prefix 'peta-'.
What is the difference between a petabit (Pb) and a petabyte (PB)?
- A petabit (Pb) measures data in bits and equals 1015 bits. It is commonly used for data transfer rates and network capacity.
- A petabyte (PB) measures data in bytes. According to SI standards, it equals 1015 bytes. It is typically used for measuring large storage capacities. (Note: The term pebibyte (PiB) correctly refers to 250 bytes).
Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 petabyte (1015 bytes) is equal to 8 x 1015 bits, or 8 petabits. Therefore, a petabyte represents 8 times more data than a petabit.
What is the difference between a petabit (Pb) and a pebibit (Pib)?
- A petabit (Pb) uses the decimal SI prefix 'peta-' and equals 1015 bits (1,000,000,000,000,000 bits).
- A pebibit (Pib) uses the binary IEC prefix 'pebi-' and equals 250 bits (1,125,899,906,842,624 bits).
A pebibit is approximately 12.6% larger than a petabit (1 Pib ≈ 1.126 Pb). Use Pb for contexts adhering to decimal standards (like network speeds) and Pib when precise binary multiples (powers of 2) are required (often related to memory or specific storage architectures).
How many gigabits (Gb) are in a petabit (Pb)?
There are 1,000,000 gigabits (Gb) in 1 petabit (Pb). This is derived from the SI prefixes: 1 Pb = 1015 bits and 1 Gb = 109 bits. Therefore, 1 Pb / 1 Gb = 1015 / 109 = 106 = 1,000,000.
Conversion Table: Kilobit to Petabit
| Kilobit (kb) | Petabit (Pb) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 |
| 1.5 | 0 |
| 2 | 0 |
| 5 | 0 |
| 10 | 0 |
| 25 | 0 |
| 50 | 0 |
| 100 | 0 |
| 250 | 0 |
| 500 | 0 |
| 1,000 | 0 |
People Also Ask
How do I convert Kilobit to Petabit?
To convert Kilobit to Petabit, enter the value in Kilobit in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our data storage converter page to convert between other units in this category.
Learn more →What is the conversion factor from Kilobit to Petabit?
The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Kilobit and Petabit. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.
Can I convert Petabit back to Kilobit?
Yes! You can easily convert Petabit back to Kilobit by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Petabit to Kilobit converter page. You can also explore other data storage conversions on our category page.
Learn more →What are common uses for Kilobit and Petabit?
Kilobit and Petabit are both standard units used in data storage measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our data storage converter for more conversion options.
For more data storage conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.
Helpful Conversion Guides
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📚 How to Convert Units
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🔢 Conversion Formulas
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⚖️ Metric vs Imperial
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⚠️ Common Mistakes
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All Data Storage Conversions
Other Data Storage Units and Conversions
Explore other data storage units and their conversion options:
- Bit (b) • Kilobit to Bit
- Byte (B) • Kilobit to Byte
- Kilobyte (KB) • Kilobit to Kilobyte
- Megabit (Mb) • Kilobit to Megabit
- Megabyte (MB) • Kilobit to Megabyte
- Gigabit (Gb) • Kilobit to Gigabit
- Gigabyte (GB) • Kilobit to Gigabyte
- Terabit (Tb) • Kilobit to Terabit
- Terabyte (TB) • Kilobit to Terabyte
- Petabyte (PB) • Kilobit to Petabyte
Verified Against Authority Standards
All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.
International Electrotechnical Commission — Binary prefixes for digital storage (KiB, MiB, GiB)
International Organization for Standardization — International standards for quantities and units
Last verified: December 3, 2025