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.
Megahertz (MHz) is a common unit of frequency that represents one million cycles per second and is particularly known for its vital role in telecommunications and computing. The term hertz pays homage to Heinrich Hertz, the first person to conclusively prove the existence of electromagnetic waves. In radio broadcasting, the station dial numbers you tune into represent megahertz, which indicate the carrier frequency of the radio station. For example, a frequency of 101.1 MHz means the wave completes 101.1 million cycles every second!
In computing, the speed of the early personal computers was often measured in megahertz. Though we’ve progressed to gigahertz in modern-day processors, the megahertz era marked some groundbreaking advancements in technology. The original IBM PC, introduced in 1981, had a processor speed of just 4.77 MHz. Today, such performance pales in comparison, revealing the incredible strides in processing power over the decades.
Hertz | Megahertz |
---|---|
0
Hz
|
0
MHz
|
10
Hz
|
0.00001
MHz
|
20
Hz
|
0.00002
MHz
|
30
Hz
|
0.00003
MHz
|
40
Hz
|
0.00004
MHz
|
50
Hz
|
0.00005
MHz
|
60
Hz
|
0.00006
MHz
|
70
Hz
|
0.00007
MHz
|
80
Hz
|
0.00008
MHz
|
90
Hz
|
0.00009
MHz
|
100
Hz
|
0.0001
MHz
|
110
Hz
|
0.00011
MHz
|
120
Hz
|
0.00012
MHz
|
130
Hz
|
0.00013
MHz
|
140
Hz
|
0.00014
MHz
|
150
Hz
|
0.00015
MHz
|
160
Hz
|
0.00016
MHz
|
170
Hz
|
0.00017
MHz
|
180
Hz
|
0.00018
MHz
|
190
Hz
|
0.00019
MHz
|
200
Hz
|
0.0002
MHz
|
210
Hz
|
0.00021
MHz
|
220
Hz
|
0.00022
MHz
|
230
Hz
|
0.00023
MHz
|
240
Hz
|
0.00024
MHz
|
250
Hz
|
0.00025
MHz
|
260
Hz
|
0.00026
MHz
|
270
Hz
|
0.00027
MHz
|
280
Hz
|
0.00028
MHz
|
290
Hz
|
0.00029
MHz
|
300
Hz
|
0.0003
MHz
|
310
Hz
|
0.00031
MHz
|
320
Hz
|
0.00032
MHz
|
330
Hz
|
0.00033
MHz
|
340
Hz
|
0.00034
MHz
|
350
Hz
|
0.00035
MHz
|
360
Hz
|
0.00036
MHz
|
370
Hz
|
0.00037
MHz
|
380
Hz
|
0.00038
MHz
|
390
Hz
|
0.00039
MHz
|
400
Hz
|
0.0004
MHz
|
410
Hz
|
0.00041
MHz
|
420
Hz
|
0.00042
MHz
|
430
Hz
|
0.00043
MHz
|
440
Hz
|
0.00044
MHz
|
450
Hz
|
0.00045
MHz
|
460
Hz
|
0.00046
MHz
|
470
Hz
|
0.00047
MHz
|
480
Hz
|
0.00048
MHz
|
490
Hz
|
0.00049
MHz
|
500
Hz
|
0.0005
MHz
|
510
Hz
|
0.00051
MHz
|
520
Hz
|
0.00052
MHz
|
530
Hz
|
0.00053
MHz
|
540
Hz
|
0.00054
MHz
|
550
Hz
|
0.00055
MHz
|
560
Hz
|
0.00056
MHz
|
570
Hz
|
0.00057
MHz
|
580
Hz
|
0.00058
MHz
|
590
Hz
|
0.00059
MHz
|
600
Hz
|
0.0006
MHz
|
610
Hz
|
0.00061
MHz
|
620
Hz
|
0.00062
MHz
|
630
Hz
|
0.00063
MHz
|
640
Hz
|
0.00064
MHz
|
650
Hz
|
0.00065
MHz
|
660
Hz
|
0.00066
MHz
|
670
Hz
|
0.00067
MHz
|
680
Hz
|
0.00068
MHz
|
690
Hz
|
0.00069
MHz
|
700
Hz
|
0.0007
MHz
|
710
Hz
|
0.00071
MHz
|
720
Hz
|
0.00072
MHz
|
730
Hz
|
0.00073
MHz
|
740
Hz
|
0.00074
MHz
|
750
Hz
|
0.00075
MHz
|
760
Hz
|
0.00076
MHz
|
770
Hz
|
0.00077
MHz
|
780
Hz
|
0.00078
MHz
|
790
Hz
|
0.00079
MHz
|
800
Hz
|
0.0008
MHz
|
810
Hz
|
0.00081
MHz
|
820
Hz
|
0.00082
MHz
|
830
Hz
|
0.00083
MHz
|
840
Hz
|
0.00084
MHz
|
850
Hz
|
0.00085
MHz
|
860
Hz
|
0.00086
MHz
|
870
Hz
|
0.00087
MHz
|
880
Hz
|
0.00088
MHz
|
890
Hz
|
0.00089
MHz
|
900
Hz
|
0.0009
MHz
|
910
Hz
|
0.00091
MHz
|
920
Hz
|
0.00092
MHz
|
930
Hz
|
0.00093
MHz
|
940
Hz
|
0.00094
MHz
|
950
Hz
|
0.00095
MHz
|
960
Hz
|
0.00096
MHz
|
970
Hz
|
0.00097
MHz
|
980
Hz
|
0.00098
MHz
|
990
Hz
|
0.00099
MHz
|
1000
Hz
|
0.001
MHz
|
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