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
From | To | Formula |
---|---|---|
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 |
Knots | Kilometers 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
Description | Speed | Unit |
---|---|---|
Average walking speed | 5 | km/h |
Typical highway speed limit | 100 | km/h |
Speed of sound in air at sea level | 343 | m/s |
Cruising speed of a commercial airliner | 900 | km/h |
Speed of light in vacuum | 299,792,458 | m/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.