here’s a table of common frequencies in Hertz, listed in order of magnitude:
| Frequency | Common Name | Usage/Phenomenon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Hz | Hertz | Standard unit of frequency |
| 10 Hz | – | Alpha wave in EEG |
| 100 Hz | – | Mains electrical power (Europe, Asia) |
| 1 kHz | Kilohertz | Standard frequency for tuning musical instruments |
| 10 kHz | – | Shortwave radio band |
| 100 kHz | – | AM radio broadcasting |
| 1 MHz | Megahertz | FM radio broadcasting |
| 10 MHz | – | International standard frequency, used in atomic clocks |
| 100 MHz | – | Mid-range for FM radio broadcasting |
| 1 GHz | Gigahertz | UHF and SHF radio broadcasting, computer processor speeds |
| 10 GHz | – | X-band radar frequency |
| 100 GHz | – | Terahertz imaging frequency |
| 1 THz | Terahertz | Infrared imaging frequency |
| 10 THz | – | Visible light (red) |
| 100 THz | – | Visible light (violet) |
| 1 PHz | Petahertz | Ultraviolet light |
| 10 PHz | – | X-rays |
| 100 PHz | – | Gamma rays |
| 1 EHz | Exahertz | High-energy gamma rays |
The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation extends beyond the Exahertz (EHz) range, into the Zettahertz (ZHz) and Yottahertz (YHz) ranges, but these frequencies are extremely high energy, such as high-energy cosmic rays. It is worth noting, however, that these ranges are not often referred to in Hertz, but rather by their energy in electronvolts (eV).
For completeness, we can extend the table as follows:
| Frequency | Common Name | Usage/Phenomenon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ZHz | Zettahertz | High-energy cosmic rays |
| 10 ZHz | – | High-energy cosmic rays |
| 100 ZHz | – | High-energy cosmic rays |
| 1 YHz | Yottahertz | High-energy cosmic rays |
- 1 Hz
- 10 Hz
- 100 Hz
- 1 kHz (1000 Hz)
- 10 kHz
- 100 kHz
- 1 MHz (1,000,000 Hz)
- 10 MHz
- 100 MHz
- 1 GHz (1,000,000,000 Hz)
- 10 GHz
- 100 GHz
- 1 THz (1,000,000,000,000 Hz)
- 10 THz
- 100 THz
- 1 PHz (1,000,000,000,000,000 Hz)
- 10 PHz
- 100 PHz
- 1 EHz (1,000,000,000,000,000,000 Hz)
- 10 EHz
- 100 EHz
- 1 ZHz (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Hz)
- 10 ZHz
- 100 ZHz
- 1 YHz (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Hz)
- 10 YHz
- 100 YHz
Please note that as we go beyond GHz, the frequencies are not commonly used, and you may find that the frequency ranges in THz and above are not used in most of the applications. Also, the frequencies beyond THz are not practically measurable or used in any application. It is not necessary to continue listing frequencies beyond this point.
Frequencies as well as their application:
- 1 Hz: A frequency of 1 hertz means that an event repeats once per second. It measures the frequency of alternating current (AC) electrical power and audio signals.
- 10 Hz: A frequency of 10 hertz means that an event repeats ten times per second. This frequency is used in measuring mechanical systems’ vibrations and geophysics.
- 100 Hz: A frequency of 100 hertz means that an event repeats 100 times per second. It measures the vibrations of mechanical and power systems for power quality analysis.
- 1 kHz (1000 Hz): A frequency of 1 kilohertz means that an event repeats 1000 times per second. It is used in audio systems and ultrasound.
- 10 kHz: A frequency of 10 kilohertz means an event repeats 10,000 times per second. It is used in audio systems and ultrasonic cleaning.
- 100 kHz: A frequency of 100 kilohertz means that an event repeats 100,000 times per second. This frequency range is used in ultrasonic testing and the telecommunication industry for data transmission.
- 1 MHz (1,000,000 Hz): A frequency of 1 megahertz means that an event repeats 1 million times per second. It is used in radio communication systems, such as AM, FM, and television broadcasting.
- 10 MHz: A frequency of 10 megahertz means that an event repeats 10 million times per second. It is used in radio communication systems, such as satellite communication and shortwave radio broadcasting.
- 100 MHz: A frequency of 100 megahertz means that an event repeats 100 million times per second. This frequency range is used in radio navigation, radiolocation, and microwave communication systems.
- 1 GHz (1,000,000,000 Hz): A frequency of 1 gigahertz means that an event repeats 1 billion times per second. It is used in microwave communication systems, such as cell phones, WiFi, and radar systems.
- 10 GHz: A frequency of 10 gigahertz means that an event repeats 10 billion times per second. It is used in microwave communication systems, such as satellite and radar systems.
- 100 GHz: A frequency of 100 gigahertz means that an event repeats 100 billion times per second. This frequency range is not widely used in practical applications but can be used in some microwave communication systems.