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Revolutions per Minute (rpm) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:rpm
Plural:rpm
Category:Frequency

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What is a Revolutions per Minute?

RPM (revolutions per minute) measures rotational speed - how many complete turns occur in one minute. Standard unit for engine speed, motor speed, fan speed, hard drive speed, and centrifuges.

History of the Revolutions per Minute

RPM became standard with development of engines and rotating machinery in the Industrial Revolution. Essential for measuring engine performance, manufacturing speeds, and mechanical systems.

Quick Answer

What is RPM? RPM (revolutions per minute) measures rotational speed as the number of complete rotations in one minute. Car engines idle at 600-1000 RPM and rev to 6000-9000 RPM. Hard drives spin at 5400-7200 RPM. 1 RPM = 1/60 Hz ≈ 0.01667 Hz. Use our frequency converter to convert RPM to Hz and other units.

Definition

1 RPM = 1 revolution per minute = 1/60 Hz ≈ 0.01667 Hz = 6°/second

Common Uses

Automotive Engines: Idle 600-1000 RPM, normal driving 1500-3000 RPM, redline 6000-9000 RPM. Hard Drives: 5400 RPM (laptops), 7200 RPM (desktops), 10,000-15,000 RPM (servers). Motors & Fans: Electric motors, cooling fans, HVAC blowers. Centrifuges: Laboratory centrifuges 1,000-30,000+ RPM.

Revolutions per Minute Conversion Formulas

To Hertz:

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

To Millihertz:

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

To Kilohertz:

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

To Megahertz:

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

To Gigahertz:

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

To Terahertz:

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

To Revolutions per Second:

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

To Beats per Minute:

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

To Cycles per Second:

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

To Radians per Second:

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula: Hz = RPM ÷ 60 Examples:

Convert Revolutions per Minute

Need to convert Revolutions per Minute to other frequency units? Use our conversion tool.

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Revolutions per Minute Quick Info

rpm
Symbol:rpm
Category:Frequency
System:Various
Convert Revolutions per Minute

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