Which unit represents pulses per second?

• A. pps (pulses per second)
• B. bps (bursts per second)
• C. cps (cycles per second)
• D. Hz (hertz)

Answer: (A)

Pulses per second expresses how many discrete pulses occur in one second. In electrotherapy, the current is delivered in individual pulses, so the rate is counted by how many of those pulses happen each second, not by how many sine-wave cycles occur. That’s why pps is the standard unit for this measurement. Hertz, or Hz, means cycles per second and is used for continuous sinusoidal waves, not discrete pulses. Cycles per second (cps) is another way to say Hz, but it still refers to cycles, not individual pulses. Bursts per second would count bursts of pulses, which doesn’t directly reflect the total number of pulses unless you know exactly how many pulses are in each burst. Therefore, the unit that represents pulses per second is pps.