Kilobit (kb) - Unit Information & Conversion
What is a Kilobit?
Definition
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.
History
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.
Common Uses
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).
Unit FAQs
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).
Kilobit Conversion Formulas
To Bit:
To Byte:
To Kilobyte:
To Megabit:
To Megabyte:
To Gigabit:
To Gigabyte:
To Terabit:
To Terabyte:
To Petabit:
To Petabyte:
To Exabit:
To Exabyte:
To Kibibit:
To Kibibyte:
To Mebibit:
To Mebibyte:
To Gibibit:
To Gibibyte:
To Tebibit:
To Tebibyte:
To Pebibit:
To Pebibyte:
To Exbibit:
To Exbibyte:
Convert Kilobit
Need to convert Kilobit to other data storage units? Use our conversion tool.