How to convert hours to seconds
To convert a measurement in hours to seconds, multiply the value by 3,600. The conversion factor comes from the relationship between both units and the second.
For example, to convert 5 h to seconds: 5 × 3,600 = 18,000 s.
What is a hour?
An hour is a unit of time equal to 60 minutes or 3,600 seconds. There are 24 hours in a day. The hour originated in ancient Egypt, where day and night were each divided into 12 parts. The fixed 60-minute hour became standard only after mechanical clocks made equal hours practical.
Common uses of hours include: Work shifts and hourly wages; Travel and flight durations; TV schedules and event planning; Battery life and runtime ratings.
What is a second?
A second is the SI base unit of time, defined by the radiation period of the caesium-133 atom (9,192,631,770 cycles). Historically defined as 1/86,400 of a mean solar day, the second was redefined in 1967 using atomic clocks, making it one of the most precisely realized units in all of science.
Common uses of seconds include: Scientific timing and physics experiments; Sports timing and lap records; Computing timeouts and latency measurements; Everyday stopwatch and countdown timing.
Hours to seconds worked examples
Here are some common values converted:
1 h = 3,600 s 5 h = 18,000 s 10 h = 36,000 s 50 h = 180,000 s 100 h = 360,000 s
Frequently asked questions
How many seconds are in one hour?
One hour (h) equals 3,600 seconds (s). Multiply any value in hours by 3,600 to convert to seconds.
How do I convert hours to seconds?
Multiply the value in hours by 3,600. For example, 5 h × 3,600 = 18,000 s.
How do I convert seconds to hours?
Multiply the value in seconds by 0.000277777778, or divide by 3,600. Use the swap button on the converter above to reverse the direction.
Is the hour to second conversion exact?
Fixed units (second through week) are exact. Month and year use the average Gregorian calendar length (30.44 and 365.2425 days) since these vary in practice.
What is the formula for hours to seconds?
The formula is: s = h × 3,600. This comes from the definition of both units relative to the second.