How many cycles per second does one gigahertz (GHz) represent?

One gigahertz (GHz) represents one billion cycles per second. The term "giga" is a metric prefix that denotes a factor of one billion, which is equivalent to (10^9). In the context of frequency, gigahertz is used to measure the speed of processors and the frequency of radio signals, among other applications.

Understanding how measurements scale is essential in fields like electronics and telecommunications, where frequencies can vary widely. By comparing gigahertz to other units, it's clear that one gigahertz is significantly higher than one megahertz (one million cycles per second) or one kilohertz (one thousand cycles per second). Similarly, it is lower than ten gigahertz, which would equate to ten billion cycles per second. Thus, the correct choice of one billion accurately reflects the magnitude of gigahertz.