Convert Hertz to RPM
Hertz to rpm is the conversion you need when a rotation speed is given as a frequency but you want it in revolutions per minute — motors, fans, pumps, and spinning machinery. Hertz just means cycles per second, and one hertz is exactly 60 rpm because a minute holds 60 seconds, so the number gets 60 times larger when you switch to rpm.
Hertz to Revolutions per minute conversion table
| Hertz (Hz) | Revolutions per minute (rpm) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 60 |
| 2 | 120 |
| 3 | 180 |
| 5 | 300 |
| 10 | 600 |
| 20 | 1,200 |
| 50 | 3,000 |
| 100 | 6,000 |
| 500 | 30,000 |
| 1,000 | 60,000 |
The formula
To convert hertz to rpm, multiply the number of hertz by 60:
rpm = hertz × 60
A worked example
Say you have a motor running at 50 Hz and want it in revolutions per minute:
50 × 60 = 3000 rpm
So 50 hertz is exactly 3000 rpm — the figure you'll recognize from a two-pole motor on 50 Hz mains electricity.
Why the number is exact
Hertz counts revolutions per second, and rpm counts revolutions per minute. Since a minute is exactly 60 seconds, whatever happens each second happens 60 times each minute. That makes one hertz exactly 60 rpm — an exact whole-number factor that comes from the definition of a minute, not from any measurement.
When you'll use it
Reading motor, fan, and pump speeds, matching a drive frequency to a shaft's rotation rate, and connecting the 50 Hz or 60 Hz of mains power to the rpm a two-pole motor turns at.
Frequently asked questions
Why is 1 Hz equal to 60 rpm?
Because one hertz is one revolution every second, and a minute has exactly 60 seconds — so one revolution per second is 60 revolutions per minute. The factor of 60 comes straight from the clock, not from any measurement.
What is 50 Hz in rpm?
Exactly 3000 rpm. This is why 50 Hz mains electricity ties to 3000 rpm on a two-pole motor — the motor turns once per cycle of the supply, so 50 cycles per second is 3000 turns per minute.
Is the hertz to rpm conversion exact?
Yes. A minute is exactly 60 seconds, so one hertz is exactly 60 rpm — an exact whole-number factor, with nothing rounded.