Revolution (rev) - Unit Information & Conversion
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What is a Revolution?
Revolution (or full rotation) is one complete 360-degree circular turn. 1 revolution = 360° = 2π radians. Used for rotational motion, motors, engines, wheels, and cycles. Symbol: rev, rot, or r.
History of the Revolution
Term from Latin "revolutio" (a turn around). Used since Renaissance for astronomical orbits. Modern applications include RPM (revolutions per minute) for engines, motors, and rotating machinery.
Quick Answer
What is a Revolution? A revolution is one complete circular rotation equal to 360 degrees or 2π radians. Common in measuring rotational speed (RPM = revolutions per minute), wheel rotations, engine cycles, and orbital motion. 1 revolution = 360° = 2π rad = 400 gradians. Use our angle converter for instant conversions.
Key Facts: Revolution
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | rev |
| Quantity | Angle |
| System | Metric/SI Derived |
| Derived from | Radian |
| Category | Angle |
| Standard Body | NIST / ISO |
Definition
1 revolution = 1 complete circular rotation = 360 degrees = 2π radians ≈ 6.2832 radians
Key conversions:
- 1 revolution = 360 degrees
- 1 revolution = 2π ≈ 6.2832 radians
- 1 revolution = 400 gradians (or gons)
- 1 revolution = 4 quadrants
- 1 revolution = 6400 mils (NATO)
Symbols: rev, r, rot, or "full turn"
Common Uses
Rotational Speed: RPM (revolutions per minute) for engines, motors, turbines, hard drives. Mechanical Engineering: Gear ratios, wheel rotations, shaft speeds, lathe operations. Astronomy: Planetary orbits, satellite revolutions, stellar rotation periods. Sports: Figure skating spins, gymnastics rotations, diving twists.
Real-World Examples
Engine and Motor Speeds by Application
Understanding RPM ranges for different machines:
| Machine Type | Idle/Min | Typical | Max/Redline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car (gasoline) | 600-1000 | 2000-3000 | 6000-9000 | EPA limits RPM |
| Car (diesel) | 500-800 | 1500-2500 | 4000-5500 | Lower redline |
| Truck diesel | 400-600 | 1200-1800 | 3500-4500 | Heavy duty |
| Motorcycle | 1200-1500 | 3000-6000 | 8000-14000 | High-rev engines |
| F1 car | ~5000 | ~11000 | ~12000 (limited) | Extreme technology |
| Jet engine | 20% N1 | 85% N1 | 100% N1 | N1 = core speed |
| Power drill | 0 | 500-3000 | 3000 | Variable speed |
| Angle grinder | 0 | 8000-9000 | 11000 | High-speed grinding |
Computer Storage Device Speeds
Historical and modern storage RPM specifications:
| Device | Typical RPM | Speed Class | Technology Era | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floppy disk | 300-360 | Very slow | 1970s-2000s | Obsolete |
| CD-ROM (1x) | ~570 avg | 650 MB/min | 1980s-90s | Obsolete |
| DVD (1x) | ~1600 avg | 1.4 MB/min | Late 1990s | Obsolete |
| HDD (5400) | 5,400 | Consumer laptop | 2000s-2020s | Legacy/archive |
| HDD (7200) | 7,200 | Standard desktop | 2000s-2020s | Mostly replaced |
| HDD (10,000) | 10,000 | Performance server | 2010s | Replaced by SSD |
| HDD (15,000) | 15,000 | Enterprise server | 2010s | Replaced by SSD |
| SSD | 0 | Fastest (no moving) | 2010s-present | Standard now |
Trend: Mechanical storage declining; SSDs have replaced HDDs for all modern applications
Wheel Revolutions and Odometry
How wheel rotations translate to distance:
| Vehicle | Wheel Diameter | Circumference | Speed | RPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle (26" wheel) | 26 inches (66cm) | 207 cm | 20 mph | 325 |
| Mountain bike (29" wheel) | 29 inches (74cm) | 232 cm | 20 mph | 293 |
| Road bike (700c) | 27.5 inches (70cm) | 220 cm | 20 mph | 311 |
| Car tire (24" equiv) | 24 inches (61cm) | 192 cm | 60 mph | 852 |
| Truck tire (33" equiv) | 33 inches (84cm) | 264 cm | 60 mph | 614 |
| Semi trailer | 22.5" dual | 177 cm | 65 mph | 721 |
Formula: RPM = (Speed in mph × 1000) ÷ (Circumference in cm × 1.609)
Astronomical Revolution Periods
Orbital times in the solar system:
| Object | Period | In Revolutions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earth rotation | 24 hours | 1 rev/day | Defines "day" |
| Moon orbit | 27.3 days | 1 rev/lunar month | Synchronous with Earth |
| Earth orbit | 365.25 days | 1 rev/year | Defines "year" |
| Mercury | 87.97 days | - | Fastest planet |
| Venus | 224.7 days | - | Slow rotation (243 days!) |
| Mars | 687 days | - | 1.88 Earth years |
| Jupiter | 11.86 years | - | Rapid rotator (10 hrs) |
| Saturn | 29.46 years | - | Beautiful rings |
| ISS orbit | 90 minutes | 15.5 rev/day | Lowest Earth orbit |
Revolution Conversions Quick Reference
Converting between common angle units:
| Revolutions | Degrees | Radians | Gradians | Half-turns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 90° | π/2 | 100 | 0.5 |
| 0.5 | 180° | π | 200 | 1.0 |
| 1 | 360° | 2π | 400 | 2.0 |
| 2 | 720° | 4π | 800 | 4.0 |
| 10 | 3600° | 20π | 4000 | 20.0 |
Revolution Conversion Formulas
To Degree:
To Radian:
To Gradian:
To Arcminute:
To Arcsecond:
To Turn:
To Quadrant:
To Gon:
To Mil:
Frequently Asked Questions
Formula: Degrees = Revolutions × 360 Examples:
- 1 revolution = 360°
- 0.5 revolutions = 180°
- 2 revolutions = 720°
- 0.25 revolutions = 90°
- 10 revolutions = 3600° Revolutions to Degrees converter →
Convert Revolution
Need to convert Revolution to other angle units? Use our conversion tool.