Hertz (Hz), the unit of frequency, measures the number of cycles per second. It’s named after Heinrich Hertz, the physicist who first proved the existence of electromagnetic waves. In 1888, his groundbreaking experiments paved the way for the development of radio, television, and other communication technologies. Fascinatingly, the concept of frequency extends well beyond sound — it’s also crucial in physics, describing phenomena such as light waves and even the rotation of electron orbitals.
In our everyday lives, Hertz is everywhere. When you listen to music, the pitch you hear is influenced by the frequency in Hertz, with middle C on a piano vibrating at about 261.6 Hz. Even your household electrical system operates at frequencies of 50 or 60 Hz, depending on your region. This widespread influence underscores how integral Hertz is to both technology and daily experiences.
Gigahertz (GHz) is a unit of frequency equivalent to one billion hertz, widely used in telecommunications and computing to measure clock speeds and data transfer rates. Fascinatingly, as you read this, billions of cycles per second are powering your devices, allowing them to process vast amounts of data instantaneously. A gigahertz represents the speed of components in your computer, such as the CPU and memory, which typically operate in the GHz range, signifying their rapid processing capabilities.
Interestingly, the world’s most common electromagnetic waves, such as Wi-Fi and mobile phone signals, also operate in the GHz range. These gigahertz frequencies are crucial for wireless communications as they allow for higher data transfer rates and support for various networks and devices, from your smartphone to your home’s smart technology systems.
| Hertz | Gigahertz |
|---|---|
0
Hz
|
0
GHz
|
10
Hz
|
1e-8
GHz
|
20
Hz
|
2e-8
GHz
|
30
Hz
|
3e-8
GHz
|
40
Hz
|
4e-8
GHz
|
50
Hz
|
5e-8
GHz
|
60
Hz
|
6e-8
GHz
|
70
Hz
|
7e-8
GHz
|
80
Hz
|
8e-8
GHz
|
90
Hz
|
9e-8
GHz
|
100
Hz
|
1e-7
GHz
|
110
Hz
|
1.1e-7
GHz
|
120
Hz
|
1.2e-7
GHz
|
130
Hz
|
1.3e-7
GHz
|
140
Hz
|
1.4e-7
GHz
|
150
Hz
|
1.5e-7
GHz
|
160
Hz
|
1.6e-7
GHz
|
170
Hz
|
1.7e-7
GHz
|
180
Hz
|
1.8e-7
GHz
|
190
Hz
|
1.9e-7
GHz
|
200
Hz
|
2e-7
GHz
|
210
Hz
|
2.1e-7
GHz
|
220
Hz
|
2.2e-7
GHz
|
230
Hz
|
2.3e-7
GHz
|
240
Hz
|
2.4e-7
GHz
|
250
Hz
|
2.5e-7
GHz
|
260
Hz
|
2.6e-7
GHz
|
270
Hz
|
2.7e-7
GHz
|
280
Hz
|
2.8e-7
GHz
|
290
Hz
|
2.9e-7
GHz
|
300
Hz
|
3e-7
GHz
|
310
Hz
|
3.1e-7
GHz
|
320
Hz
|
3.2e-7
GHz
|
330
Hz
|
3.3e-7
GHz
|
340
Hz
|
3.4e-7
GHz
|
350
Hz
|
3.5e-7
GHz
|
360
Hz
|
3.6e-7
GHz
|
370
Hz
|
3.7e-7
GHz
|
380
Hz
|
3.8e-7
GHz
|
390
Hz
|
3.9e-7
GHz
|
400
Hz
|
4e-7
GHz
|
410
Hz
|
4.1e-7
GHz
|
420
Hz
|
4.2e-7
GHz
|
430
Hz
|
4.3e-7
GHz
|
440
Hz
|
4.4e-7
GHz
|
450
Hz
|
4.5e-7
GHz
|
460
Hz
|
4.6e-7
GHz
|
470
Hz
|
4.7e-7
GHz
|
480
Hz
|
4.8e-7
GHz
|
490
Hz
|
4.9e-7
GHz
|
500
Hz
|
5e-7
GHz
|
510
Hz
|
5.1e-7
GHz
|
520
Hz
|
5.2e-7
GHz
|
530
Hz
|
5.3e-7
GHz
|
540
Hz
|
5.4e-7
GHz
|
550
Hz
|
5.5e-7
GHz
|
560
Hz
|
5.6e-7
GHz
|
570
Hz
|
5.7e-7
GHz
|
580
Hz
|
5.8e-7
GHz
|
590
Hz
|
5.9e-7
GHz
|
600
Hz
|
6e-7
GHz
|
610
Hz
|
6.1e-7
GHz
|
620
Hz
|
6.2e-7
GHz
|
630
Hz
|
6.3e-7
GHz
|
640
Hz
|
6.4e-7
GHz
|
650
Hz
|
6.5e-7
GHz
|
660
Hz
|
6.6e-7
GHz
|
670
Hz
|
6.7e-7
GHz
|
680
Hz
|
6.8e-7
GHz
|
690
Hz
|
6.9e-7
GHz
|
700
Hz
|
7e-7
GHz
|
710
Hz
|
7.1e-7
GHz
|
720
Hz
|
7.2e-7
GHz
|
730
Hz
|
7.3e-7
GHz
|
740
Hz
|
7.4e-7
GHz
|
750
Hz
|
7.5e-7
GHz
|
760
Hz
|
7.6e-7
GHz
|
770
Hz
|
7.7e-7
GHz
|
780
Hz
|
7.8e-7
GHz
|
790
Hz
|
7.9e-7
GHz
|
800
Hz
|
8e-7
GHz
|
810
Hz
|
8.1e-7
GHz
|
820
Hz
|
8.2e-7
GHz
|
830
Hz
|
8.3e-7
GHz
|
840
Hz
|
8.4e-7
GHz
|
850
Hz
|
8.5e-7
GHz
|
860
Hz
|
8.6e-7
GHz
|
870
Hz
|
8.7e-7
GHz
|
880
Hz
|
8.8e-7
GHz
|
890
Hz
|
8.9e-7
GHz
|
900
Hz
|
9e-7
GHz
|
910
Hz
|
9.1e-7
GHz
|
920
Hz
|
9.2e-7
GHz
|
930
Hz
|
9.3e-7
GHz
|
940
Hz
|
9.4e-7
GHz
|
950
Hz
|
9.5e-7
GHz
|
960
Hz
|
9.6e-7
GHz
|
970
Hz
|
9.7e-7
GHz
|
980
Hz
|
9.8e-7
GHz
|
990
Hz
|
9.9e-7
GHz
|
1000
Hz
|
0.000001
GHz
|
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