Speed Converter (mph, km/h, m/s, etc.)
Convert speeds between various units like miles/hour, kilometers/hour, meters/second, feet/second, and knots.
Advanced Speed Converter
Our Speed Converter is a comprehensive tool for converting between various common units of speed, including kilometers per hour (km/h), miles per hour (mph), meters per second (m/s), feet per second (ft/s), and knots (kt).
🏎️ How to Use the Converter
- Enter Speed: Input the numerical value of the speed you wish to convert.
- Select 'From' Unit: Choose the original unit of your input speed from the dropdown list.
- Select 'To' Unit: Choose the target unit you want to convert the speed to.
- Click "Convert": The tool will perform the calculation.
- View Result: The converted speed is displayed, along with a visual breakdown showing the intermediate conversion to meters per second (m/s) and then to the final unit. You can use the swap button (⇄) to quickly interchange the 'From' and 'To' units.
Supported Units
This converter supports the following speed units:
- Metre per second (m/s): The SI derived unit of speed.
- Kilometre per hour (km/h or kph): Commonly used worldwide for road traffic.
- Mile per hour (mph): Used for road traffic in the US, UK, and some other countries.
- Foot per second (ft/s): Sometimes used in physics or engineering contexts.
- Knot (kt): Used in maritime and aviation; one nautical mile per hour.
🔢 Conversion Process & Factors
All conversions are standardized by first converting the input speed to meters per second (m/s), and then from m/s to the target unit. Key approximate conversion factors to m/s are:
- 1 km/h ≈ 0.277778 m/s
- 1 mph ≈ 0.447040 m/s
- 1 ft/s = 0.304800 m/s (exact)
- 1 knot ≈ 0.514444 m/s
The "Visual Calculation" section shows this two-step process.
💡 Common Use Cases
- Driving & Travel: Understanding speed limits or vehicle speeds when systems differ.
- Aviation & Maritime Navigation: Converting knots to more familiar units like km/h or mph.
- Sports & Athletics: Comparing speeds from different disciplines (e.g., running in m/s, cycling in km/h).
- Physics & Engineering: Converting speeds for calculations and data analysis.
- Weather Reports: Interpreting wind speeds given in various units.
✨ Further Explanation of Units
Metre per second (m/s): The base unit of speed in the International System of Units (SI). It represents movement by one meter in one second.
Kilometre per hour (km/h or kph): A widely used metric unit for speed, common for road speeds globally. 1 km/h = 1000 meters / 3600 seconds.
Mile per hour (mph): An imperial unit common in countries like the USA and UK. 1 mile = 1609.34 meters.
Foot per second (ft/s): An imperial/US customary unit. 1 foot = 0.3048 meters. Often used in contexts requiring finer speed gradations than mph.
Knot (kt): A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. A nautical mile is approximately 1852 meters. Knots are standard in maritime and aviation contexts for measuring the speed of vessels and aircraft, as well as fluid (wind and water) speed.
This Speed Converter provides an efficient way to switch between these essential units.