Speed Converter
Convert between mph, km/h, m/s, knots, and other speed units with precision.
Popular Speed Unit Conversions
10 m/s = 36 km/h
60 mph = 96.56 km/h
100 knots = 115.08 mph
30 ft/s = 9.14 m/s
100 km/h = 27.78 m/s
Mach 1 = 767 mph
Complete Speed Conversion Guide
Speed conversion is essential in automotive engineering, aviation, marine navigation, sports analysis, meteorology, and physics research. Understanding different speed measurement systems ensures accuracy in vehicle specifications, flight planning, weather forecasting, and scientific calculations.
Understanding Speed and Velocity Measurement
Speed measures the rate of change of position with respect to time, representing how fast an object moves. Velocity includes directional information, while speed is the magnitude only. Understanding speed units is essential for transportation, physics, engineering, and everyday applications from traffic to aerospace.
Metric System (SI)
Based on meters per second, used worldwide for scientific and technical applications.
- • Meter per second (m/s) - Base unit
- • Kilometer per hour (km/h) - Common usage
- • Kilometer per second (km/s) - High speeds
Imperial System
Used primarily in the United States for everyday speed measurements.
- • Mile per hour (mph) - Road speeds
- • Foot per second (ft/s) - Engineering
- • Mile per second (mi/s) - High velocities
Specialized Units
Industry-specific units for maritime, aviation, and scientific applications.
- • Knot (kn) - Maritime and aviation
- • Mach - Supersonic speeds
- • Speed of light (c) - Physics
Essential Conversion Factors
Fundamental Conversions:
- • 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.237 mph = 1.944 knots
- • 1 km/h = 0.278 m/s = 0.621 mph = 0.540 knots
- • 1 mph = 1.609 km/h = 0.447 m/s = 0.868 knots
- • 1 knot = 1.852 km/h = 1.151 mph = 0.514 m/s
- • 1 ft/s = 0.305 m/s = 1.097 km/h = 0.682 mph
International Speed Standards:
- • Metric System (SI): Meters per second, kilometers per hour
- • Imperial System: Miles per hour, feet per second
- • Maritime/Aviation: Knots, Mach number
- • Critical for international transportation and scientific applications
Quick Approximations:
- • mph × 1.6 ≈ km/h
- • km/h ÷ 3.6 ≈ m/s
- • knots × 1.15 ≈ mph
- • m/s × 2.2 ≈ mph
Scientific Constants:
- • Speed of light = 299,792,458 m/s
- • Speed of sound = 343 m/s (20°C)
- • Mach 1 = 343 m/s (sea level)
Professional Applications
Transportation Engineering
- • Traffic flow analysis and optimization
- • Highway design and safety standards
- • Vehicle performance testing
- • Speed limit determination
Aviation and Aerospace
- • Aircraft speeds and performance
- • Orbital mechanics calculations
- • Flight planning and navigation
- • Air traffic control systems
Maritime Navigation
- • Ship speeds and voyage planning
- • Current calculations and drift
- • Port approach procedures
- • Maritime safety protocols
Sports and Athletics
- • Performance measurement and analysis
- • Training optimization programs
- • Equipment specifications
- • Record verification and comparison
Physics and Engineering
- • Motion analysis and kinematics
- • Fluid dynamics calculations
- • Mechanical system design
- • Scientific research applications
Weather and Meteorology
- • Wind speed measurements
- • Storm tracking and prediction
- • Atmospheric phenomena analysis
- • Climate research studies
Common Speed Values and Examples
Everyday Speeds
- • Walking speed: 1.4 m/s (5 km/h, 3.1 mph)
- • Cycling speed: 5-15 m/s (18-54 km/h, 11-34 mph)
- • City driving: 14 m/s (50 km/h, 31 mph)
- • Highway driving: 28 m/s (100 km/h, 62 mph)
Transportation
- • Passenger train: 80-200 mph (130-320 km/h)
- • Commercial aircraft: 250 m/s (900 km/h, 560 mph)
- • Cruise ship: 20-25 knots (37-46 km/h)
- • Freight train: 50-70 mph (80-110 km/h)
Natural Phenomena
- • Wind speed: 5-100+ mph (8-160+ km/h)
- • Speed of sound: 343 m/s (1,235 km/h, 767 mph)
- • Earth's rotation: 1,040 mph (1,674 km/h)
- • Earth's orbit: 67,000 mph (107,000 km/h)
Sports Records
- • Sprint speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
- • Tennis serve: 160+ mph (260+ km/h)
- • Baseball pitch: 100+ mph (160+ km/h)
- • Formula 1: 230+ mph (370+ km/h)
Speed Limits and Safety
- • Urban areas: 30-60 km/h (19-37 mph)
- • Rural roads: 80-100 km/h (50-62 mph)
- • Highways: 100-130 km/h (62-81 mph)
- • Aviation speeds: Takeoff, cruise, approach speeds
- • Maritime speed regulations and safe navigation practices
Professional Precision: Our speed converter provides radar-gun accuracy for any application, from everyday driving calculations to supersonic aircraft specifications. Whether you're planning a road trip, analyzing athletic performance, or conducting scientific research, trust our converter for precise speed measurements across all units and scales.