How is gigahertz related to cycles per second?

The relationship between gigahertz (GHz) and cycles per second (Hz) is fundamental in understanding how processor speeds and frequency are measured. One gigahertz is defined as one billion cycles per second. Therefore, when stating that 3.4 GHz equals 3.4 billion cycles per second, it reflects this precise definition. This means that a processor running at 3.4 GHz is capable of performing 3.4 billion cycles of its operations in one second.

This understanding is crucial in technology and computing, as the higher the frequency, the more instructions a CPU can process in a given time frame, which generally translates to better performance in tasks and applications. Knowing the correct conversion from gigahertz to cycles per second helps in evaluating and comparing different processors and their capabilities.