Convert Kilohertz to Hertz
Kilohertz to hertz is the conversion you reach for with audio sample rates, mid-range sound, and AM radio, where kilohertz is the tidy label but the raw hertz count is what a spec sheet or piece of gear actually wants. One kilohertz is exactly 1000 hertz, so the number always gets bigger — and by a clean factor — when you switch from kilohertz to hertz.
Kilohertz to Hertz conversion table
| Kilohertz (kHz) | Hertz (Hz) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 2,000 |
| 3 | 3,000 |
| 5 | 5,000 |
| 10 | 10,000 |
| 20 | 20,000 |
| 50 | 50,000 |
| 100 | 100,000 |
| 500 | 500,000 |
| 1,000 | 1,000,000 |
The formula
To convert kilohertz to hertz, multiply the number of kilohertz by 1000:
hertz = kilohertz × 1000
A worked example
Say you have a 5 kHz tone and want it in hertz:
5 × 1000 = 5000 Hz
So 5 kilohertz is exactly 5000 hertz.
Why the number is exact
The "kilo" prefix means exactly one thousand, so one kilohertz is exactly 1000 hertz — a decade step by an exact power of 1000, not a measured or rounded factor. That makes every kilohertz-to-hertz conversion exact, with nothing lost in the switch.
When you'll use it
Reading audio sample rates like 44.1 kHz in raw hertz, working with mid-range sound frequencies, and tuning or labeling AM radio, where kilohertz is the shorthand but hertz is the underlying count.
Frequently asked questions
How many hertz are in a kilohertz?
Exactly 1000 hertz. The 'kilo' prefix means one thousand, so a kilohertz is one thousand hertz — a fixed, exact number, nothing rounded.
Is 44.1 kHz the same as 44,100 Hz?
Yes. Since 1 kHz is exactly 1000 Hz, the common CD audio sample rate of 44.1 kHz is exactly 44,100 Hz — the same frequency written two ways.
Is the kilohertz to hertz conversion exact?
Yes. One kilohertz is exactly 1000 hertz by the definition of the 'kilo' prefix, so nothing is rounded away.