Speed Converter
Convert between different speed units: km/h, m/s, mph, knots, feet per second.
Speed Converter
Instant conversion between speed units
⚡ Popular Conversions
About Speed Conversion
Metric System
International standard speed units.
- • m/s - Meter per second (SI base)
- • km/h - Kilometer per hour
- • km/s - Kilometer per second
Imperial System
Speed units used in US/UK.
- • mph - Mile per hour
- • ft/s - Foot per second
- • in/s - Inch per second
Nautical & Aviation
Specialized speed measurements.
- • Knot - 1 nautical mile/hour
- • Mach - Speed of sound (~343 m/s)
Physical Constants
Universal speed references.
- • Speed of Light - 299,792,458 m/s
- • Speed of Sound - ~343 m/s (at 20°C)
Understanding Speed Units
Speed measures the rate at which an object travels through space, expressed in meters per second (m/s) as the base SI unit. Understanding speed conversions is essential for transportation, sports, physics, engineering, and navigation where precise velocity measurements determine safety, performance, and efficiency calculations.
The metric system provides logical speed measurements with clear relationships. Meters per second (m/s) serves scientific applications, while kilometers per hour (km/h) suits automotive and everyday use. These units scale predictably: 1 m/s equals 3.6 km/h, simplifying conversions for international communication and technical specifications.
Imperial speed units include miles per hour (mph) and feet per second (ft/s) that remain standard in the United States transportation system. Converting between systems requires precise factors: 1 mph equals 1.609 km/h, and 1 ft/s equals 0.3048 m/s, critical for international aviation, shipping, and automotive industries.
Specialized speed measurements serve unique applications. Nautical speeds use knots (nautical miles per hour) for maritime and aviation navigation. Mach numbers express supersonic speeds relative to sound velocity. Light speed provides the ultimate velocity reference for physics and astronomy calculations.
Modern applications demand accurate speed conversions across diverse scales. Automotive speedometers display both mph and km/h for international drivers. Aviation systems require precise knot conversions for navigation safety. Sports timing measures speeds from milliseconds in sprinting to hours in endurance events, making conversion skills essential for performance analysis and record keeping.