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Beats per Minute (bpm) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:bpm
Plural:bpm
Category:Frequency

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What is a Beats per Minute?

BPM (beats per minute) measures the frequency of beats or pulses in one minute. Standard unit for heart rate, music tempo, and any periodic event counted per minute. 1 BPM = 1/60 Hz.

History of the Beats per Minute

Beats per minute became standard with development of mechanical metronomes (early 1800s) and medical pulse measurement. Essential for music notation and cardiovascular health assessment.

Quick Answer

What is BPM? BPM (beats per minute) measures how many beats occur in one minute. Used for heart rate (normal 60-100 BPM), music tempo (60-180 BPM typical range), and exercise intensity. 1 BPM = 1/60 Hz = 0.01667 Hz. 60 BPM = 1 Hz. Use our frequency converter for instant conversions.

Definition

1 BPM = 1 beat per minute = 1/60 Hz ≈ 0.01667 Hz = 1 beat per 60 seconds

Common Uses

Heart Rate: Resting 60-100 BPM, exercise up to 220-age BPM maximum. Music Tempo: Slow 40-80 BPM, moderate 80-120 BPM, fast 120-200 BPM. Exercise: Target heart rate zones for cardio training. Medical: Pulse measurement, cardiac monitoring, stress tests.

Real-World Applications

Heart Rate (Medical)

Resting Heart Rate:

  • Athletes: 40-60 BPM
  • Healthy adults: 60-100 BPM
  • Children (6-15): 70-100 BPM
  • Infants: 100-160 BPM

Exercise Heart Rate:

  • Maximum: ~220 - age (estimate)
  • Light activity: 50-60% of max
  • Moderate: 60-70% of max
  • Vigorous: 70-85% of max
  • Peak: 85-95% of max

Medical Conditions:

  • Bradycardia: <60 BPM (at rest)
  • Tachycardia: >100 BPM (at rest)

Music Tempo

Classical Tempo Markings:

  • Largo: 40-60 BPM (very slow, broad)
  • Adagio: 66-76 BPM (slow, at ease)
  • Andante: 76-108 BPM (walking pace)
  • Moderato: 108-120 BPM (moderate)
  • Allegro: 120-168 BPM (fast, lively)
  • Presto: 168-200 BPM (very fast)
  • Prestissimo: 200+ BPM (extremely fast)

Music Genres (typical):

  • Hip Hop: 60-100 BPM
  • Reggae: 60-90 BPM
  • Blues: 60-80 BPM
  • Pop: 100-130 BPM
  • Rock: 110-140 BPM
  • EDM/House: 120-130 BPM
  • Techno: 120-150 BPM
  • Drum & Bass: 160-180 BPM
  • Dubstep: 140 BPM (half-time feel ~70 BPM)

Exercise & Fitness

Target Heart Rate Zones (example: age 40, max HR ≈ 180 BPM):

  • Resting: 60-80 BPM
  • Warm-up: 90-108 BPM (50-60%)
  • Fat burn: 108-126 BPM (60-70%)
  • Cardio: 126-153 BPM (70-85%)
  • Peak: 153-171 BPM (85-95%)

Activity BPM Ranges:

  • Walking: 90-120 BPM
  • Jogging: 120-150 BPM
  • Running: 150-180 BPM
  • Sprinting: 180-200+ BPM

Beats per Minute Conversion Formulas

To Hertz:

1 bpm = 0.016667 Hz
Example: 5 bpm = 0.083333 hertz

To Millihertz:

1 bpm = 16.666667 mHz
Example: 5 bpm = 83.333333 millihertz

To Kilohertz:

1 bpm = 0.000017 kHz
Example: 5 bpm = 0.000083 kilohertz

To Megahertz:

1 bpm = 1.6667e-8 MHz
Example: 5 bpm = 8.3333e-8 megahertz

To Gigahertz:

1 bpm = 1.6667e-11 GHz
Example: 5 bpm = 8.3333e-11 gigahertz

To Terahertz:

1 bpm = 1.6667e-14 THz
Example: 5 bpm = 8.3333e-14 terahertz

To Revolutions per Minute:

1 bpm = 1 rpm
Example: 5 bpm = 5 rpm

To Revolutions per Second:

1 bpm = 0.016667 rps
Example: 5 bpm = 0.083333 rps

To Cycles per Second:

1 bpm = 0.016667 cps
Example: 5 bpm = 0.083333 cps

To Radians per Second:

1 bpm = 0.10472 rad/s
Example: 5 bpm = 0.523599 rad/s

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula: Hz = BPM ÷ 60 Examples:

Convert Beats per Minute

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Beats per Minute Quick Info

bpm
Symbol:bpm
Category:Frequency
System:Various
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