What Is RPM (revolution per minute)
Imagine that you ride a bike. One revolution would be one full circle performed by your feet when they push the pedal down. If you peddle slowly enough you can perform 60 full circles within a minute. That means that you pedals perform 60 RPM – Revolutions Per Minute.
RPM is just a simple measure of speed. It shows how many times per minute a wheel, a motor or a blade makes a complete revolution.
The RPM Scale: Slow to Very Fast
If you want to understand the speed of rotation in various devices, here is an easy scale of our surroundings:
* Car Engine (Idle): When you are sitting idle in the traffic lights – about 1,000 RPM
* Washing Machine: In a spin cycle where your jeans dry out – about 1,200 RPM
* Ceiling Fan: On its maximum speed – 250 RPM
* Blender: 20,000 RPM
The Newest Record Holders: The 110,000 RPM Club
Have you noticed recently some crazy numbers on modern technological equipment? 110,000 RPM. To comprehend this number let me tell you that such a motor performs about 1,833 full revolutions every second. This is so fast that the eye of a human being cannot perceive any movement. All you see is a blur and you hear some weird noise from this gadget.
Where You Will Find These Speeds
Ultra-fast RPM motors are used in modern hair dryers and electronic air dusters.
Why Are They Made This Way?
Once upon a time if you wanted to use more powerful hair dryer, you had to buy a huge, very heavy motor. But now the engineers managed to make the motor spin so fast – 110,000 RPM – that this motor is the size of a flashlight battery. It produces a jet stream of air which blows the water off your hair or dust from your computer without any large motors and harmful heat.
It is amazing miniature mechanical power.