Speed Conversion

Speed Converter

Convert Speeds

Convert between different speed units

Table of Contents

Interactive Speed Explorer

Explore Speed Scales

Visualize and compare different speed units

m/s
1.00
km/h
3.60
mph
2.24
ft/s
3.28
knots
1.94

Drag the slider to see how the same speed is represented in different units.

Speed Conversion Formulas

Common Speed Conversion Formulas

Use these formulas to convert between speed units

FromToFormula
Meters per second (m/s)Kilometers per hour (km/h)km/h = m/s × 3.6
Kilometers per hour (km/h)Miles per hour (mph)mph = km/h × 0.621371
Miles per hour (mph)Feet per second (ft/s)ft/s = mph × 1.46667
KnotsKilometers per hour (km/h)km/h = knots × 1.852

Interesting Speed Facts

  • The land speed record for a car is 763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h), set by Andy Green in 1997.
  • The speed of sound in air at sea level is approximately 343 m/s or 1,235 km/h.
  • The escape velocity from Earth's surface is about 11.2 km/s or 40,320 km/h.
  • The fastest wind speed ever recorded on Earth was 408 km/h (253 mph) during Tropical Cyclone Olivia in 1996.

Common Speeds

Everyday and Extreme Speeds

A comparison of various speeds we encounter

DescriptionSpeedUnit
Average walking speed5km/h
Typical highway speed limit100km/h
Speed of sound in air at sea level343m/s
Cruising speed of a commercial airliner900km/h
Speed of light in vacuum299,792,458m/s

Speed Knowledge Quiz

Test Your Speed Knowledge

Answer these questions to check your understanding of speed concepts

Quiz content coming soon!

History of Speed Measurement

The Evolution of Measuring Speed

From ancient methods to modern technology

  • Ancient civilizations used sundials and water clocks to measure time and infer speed.
  • In the 17th century, Galileo Galilei conducted experiments on acceleration and velocity.
  • The invention of the chronometer in the 18th century improved speed measurements for navigation.
  • The 19th century saw the development of mechanical speedometers for vehicles.
  • Modern speed measurement techniques include radar, GPS, and laser-based systems.

Applications of Speed Measurement

Real-World Uses of Speed Measurements

How speed calculations are used in various fields

  • Transportation: Vehicle speed limits, flight planning, and maritime navigation.
  • Sports: Tracking athlete performance, measuring ball speeds in various games.
  • Meteorology: Measuring wind speeds for weather forecasting and storm tracking.
  • Physics and Engineering: Studying motion, designing vehicles and machinery.
  • Telecommunications: Calculating data transfer rates in computer networks.

Glossary of Speed Terms

Velocity
The rate of change of position with respect to time, including both speed and direction.
Acceleration
The rate of change of velocity with respect to time.
Knot
A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, commonly used in maritime and aviation contexts.
Mach number
A dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of flow velocity past a boundary to the local speed of sound.
Terminal velocity
The constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium through which it is falling prevents further acceleration.

Frequently Asked Questions