Nanosecond (ns)
One billionth of a second.
What is a nanosecond?
- Symbol
- ns
- Quantity
- Time
- Unit system
- SI
- Definition
- One billionth of a second.
- Exact
- Yes, the value is exact by definition
- Source
- SI Brochure, 9th edition (BIPM, 2019)
Common applications
Used in computing and electronics for clock cycles, memory latency and signal timing.
Nanosecond in other time units
- 1 ns = 0.001 µsMicrosecond
- 1 ns = 0.000001 msMillisecond
- 1 ns = 1e-9 sSecond
- 1 ns ≈ 1.666666667e-11 minMinute
- 1 ns ≈ 2.777777778e-13 hHour
- 1 ns ≈ 1.157407407e-14 dDay
- 1 ns ≈ 1.653439153e-15 wkWeek
- 1 ns ≈ 3.168808781e-17 yrYear (Julian)
Nanosecond quick reference
| Nanosecond | Minute | Hour | Microsecond |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ns | ≈ 1.666666667e-11 min | ≈ 2.777777778e-13 h | = 0.001 µs |
| 10 ns | ≈ 1.666666667e-10 min | ≈ 2.777777778e-12 h | = 0.01 µs |
| 100 ns | ≈ 1.666666667e-9 min | ≈ 2.777777778e-11 h | = 0.1 µs |
| 1000 ns | ≈ 1.666666667e-8 min | ≈ 2.777777778e-10 h | = 1 µs |
Where the nanosecond fits
The next larger time unit is the microsecond (µs). 1 ns = 0.001 µs, and 1 µs = 1000 ns.
Frequently asked questions
- How many minutes are in one nanosecond?
- One nanosecond ≈ 1.666666667e-11 min (minutes).
- How many hours are in one nanosecond?
- One nanosecond ≈ 2.777777778e-13 h (hours).
- How many microseconds are in one nanosecond?
- One nanosecond = 0.001 µs (microseconds).