Speed converter

What is speed and why convert it?

Speed is a measure of how quickly an object moves relative to a point of reference. In physics, speed is defined as the change in position of an object over time, typically expressed as the distance traveled in a specific period. However, in everyday life, speed can be measured in various units, such as meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), miles per hour (mph), etc.

Converting speed from one unit of measurement to another can be essential in both everyday and professional situations. For example, travelers might want to convert their car’s speed from kilometers per hour to miles per hour to better understand road signs in other countries. Pilots and sailors often use different speed units depending on international standards.

Major units of speed measurement

Before diving deeper, let’s discuss the main speed measurement units often encountered:

• m/s (meters per second) — the standard unit of speed in the International System of Units (SI).
• cm/s (centimeters per second) — more commonly used in scientific and technical contexts.
• km/h (kilometers per hour) — a popular speed unit in automotive and civil applications.
• mph (miles per hour) — the primary speed unit in English-speaking countries for road travel.
• yd/s and ft/s (yards per second and feet per second) — often used in sports and aerodynamics.

Globally, there are numerous speed measurement units, including both metric and imperial, but the most common are those outlined above.

Conversion formulas

Let’s explore more formulas for a deeper understanding of the conversion process:

• From mph to km/h:

  $$\text{speed (km/h)} = \text{speed (mph)} \times 1.60934$$

• From yd/s to m/s:

  $$\text{speed (m/s)} = \text{speed (yd/s)} \times 0.9144$$

• From m/min to m/s:

  $$\text{speed (m/s)} = \text{speed (m/min)} \div 60$$

• From m/h to km/h:

  $$\text{speed (km/h)} = \text{speed (m/h)} \div 1000$$

• From km/s to m/s:

  $$\text{speed (m/s)} = \text{speed (km/s)} \times 1000$$

• From km/h to m/s:

  $$\text{speed (m/s)} = \frac{\text{speed (km/h)}}{3.6}$$

Example values:

If you want to convert a speed of 72 km/h to m/s, apply the formula:

$$\frac{72 \, \text{km/h}}{3.6} = 20 \, \text{m/s}$$

These formulas will assist you in instantly converting your speed into the desired measurement.

Calculation examples

Example 1: Road trip

Imagine you are on a road trip through Europe. Your car’s typical speed is 80 mph, and you need to understand how much that is in kilometers per hour to comply with local laws. Using the formula:

$$80 \, \text{mph} \times 1.60934 = 128.747 \, \text{km/h}$$

Now you know your speed is approximately 129 km/h.

Example 2: Short distance runner

If you are involved in athletics and your training results show a speed of 4 m/s, how much is that in kilometers per hour?

$$4 \, \text{m/s} \times 3.6 = 14.4 \, \text{km/h}$$

This means you can reach speeds of 14.4 km/h in short distances.

Example 3: A school reminder

From your physics class in school, you might remember how your teacher explained a long-distance runner maintaining a speed of 3.5 m/s. Let’s convert this speed to km/h.

$$3.5 \, \text{m/s} \times 3.6 = 12.6 \, \text{km/h}$$

This knowledge helped many students better understand the physical meaning of speed.

Notes

When converting speed units, it’s crucial to use precise coefficients and minimal rounding since calculation accuracy may be critical. In aviation and aerospace, for example, even small errors can lead to significant consequences.

Expanded conversion table

Measurement	m/s	km/h	mph	ft/s	cm/s	yd/s	m/min	km/s	m/h
1 m/s	1	3.6	2.237	3.281	100	1.094	60	0.001	3600
1 km/h	0.278	1	0.621	0.911	27.78	0.3038	16.67	0.000278	1000
1 mph	0.447	1.609	1	1.467	44.7	0.447	26.82	0.000447	1609
1 ft/s	0.305	1.097	0.681	1	30.48	0.333	18.29	0.000305	1097
1 cm/s	0.01	0.036	0.022	0.033	1	0.010936	0.6	0.00001	36
1 yd/s	0.914	3.292	2.045	3	91.44	1	54.86	0.000914	3292
1 m/min	0.0167	0.06	0.0373	0.0547	1.667	0.0183	1	0.0000167	60
1 km/s	1000	3600	2237	3280.84	100000	1093.61	60000	1	3600000
1 m/h	0.000278	0.001	0.000621	0.000911	0.02778	0.0003038	0.0167	0.000000278	1

Frequently asked questions

How do you find speed in km/h if it’s given in m/s?

To convert speed from m/s to km/h, multiply the m/s value by 3.6.

How many mph is equivalent to 120 km/h?

To convert 120 km/h to mph, multiply by 0.621371:

$$120 \, \text{km/h} \times 0.621371 \approx 74.56 \, \text{mph}$$

Why is it important to convert speed correctly?

Proper speed conversion is essential for safety on roads, in aviation, and other areas where precision is vital.

How do you convert 45 ft/s to m/s?

To convert feet per second to meters per second, multiply by 0.3048:

$$45 \, \text{ft/s} \times 0.3048 = 13.716 \, \text{m/s}$$

What units are used to measure car speeds?

In most countries, car speeds are measured in km/h, but in English-speaking countries like the USA and the UK, mph is used.

How to convert 5 m/s to km/h?

To convert speed from m/s to km/h, multiply by 3.6:

$$5 \, \text{m/s} \times 3.6 = 18 \, \text{km/h}$$

With the increasing use of vehicles and transportation, the ability to accurately translate speed becomes an essential skill. We hope our speed converter becomes a reliable assistant in this task.