CYCLES PER SECOND AND HERTZ
A year or so ago the Hewlett-Packard Journal published a table of the SI Sys tem of Units of Physical Quantities. This Table had been adopted by the Inter national Conference on Weights and Measures and subsequently by the Na tional Bureau of Standards for use in its publications.
One of the units listed in the table was the unit hertz for frequency. As a result of this listing in the Journal, many have inquired and urged our adoption of this unit in place of cycles per second.
Recently, however, the IEEE, through its Abbreviations Subcommittee of the Symbols Committee, issued a new Standard Symbols for Units (IEEE No. 260, dated January, 1965). This Stand ard is consistent with most of the units in the International System. With regard to units of frequency, though, the Standard retains cycles per second (c/s) with the notation that the International Electrotechnical Commission recom mends the name hertz (Hz). Very likely, a major reason for retaining cycles per second is the fact that the unit hertz is little known in the power field in the U. S.
It is understood that the IEEE, in its publications, will use whichever unit is preferred by an individual author.
The Hewlett-Packard Journal has adopted a similar policy, i.e., both cycles per second and hertz may be used for a transitional time of a year or more. It is expected that full adoption of the unit hertz will then be made after this time and after broader knowledge of the unit exists.
-Editor
* "International System of Units," Hewlett-Pjckjrd Jivnal, Vol. 15, No. 7, March, 1965.