Your all-in-one online converter with real life examples

Speed Converter

About the Speed Converter

Speed conversion is essential for international travel, sports analysis, aviation, marine navigation, and scientific calculations. Our converter handles all major speed units, from everyday car speeds to specialized aviation and marine measurements.

Understanding speed conversions helps when reading foreign speedometers, comparing athletic performance, analyzing weather data, or working with technical specifications. Get accurate conversions with practical context for real-world applications.

  • 1 mph = 1.609344 kph (miles per hour to kilometers per hour)
  • 1 m/s = 3.6 kph = 2.237 mph (meters per second conversions)
  • 1 knot = 1.15078 mph = 1.852 kph (nautical miles per hour)
  • 1 ft/s = 0.3048 m/s = 0.6818 mph (feet per second)
  • 1 kph = 0.621371 mph = 0.277778 m/s

Real-World Examples: Highway speed limits: 60 mph = 97 kph. Usain Bolt's peak speed: 27.8 mph (12.4 m/s). Commercial aircraft cruise: ~500 knots (575 mph). Cheetah top speed: ~70 mph (112 kph). Walking pace: ~3 mph (1.34 m/s).

Fun Facts About Speed Measurements

  • The term "knot" comes from sailors using a rope with knots spaced at regular intervals to measure ship speed
  • Formula 1 cars can exceed 220 mph (354 kph) on straight sections
  • A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds
  • The speed of sound at sea level is approximately 767 mph (1,235 kph)
  • Wind speeds in hurricanes can exceed 157 mph (252 kph)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do planes and ships use knots instead of mph?

Knots are based on nautical miles, which relate directly to latitude and longitude on Earth. This makes navigation calculations much easier for pilots and ship captains using charts and GPS systems.

How many mph is 100 kph?

100 kph equals approximately 62.14 mph. For quick mental conversion, divide kph by 1.6 or multiply mph by 1.6 to get the approximate opposite unit.

Why does the UK still use mph for speed limits?

Historical convention and infrastructure costs. Changing all road signs, speedometers, and legal frameworks would be extremely expensive, so the UK maintains mph for road speeds while using metric for most other measurements.

Is 1 meter per second considered fast?

1 m/s equals 3.6 kph or 2.24 mph - about normal walking speed. It's useful in physics and engineering but relatively slow compared to vehicle speeds.

What's the fastest speed humans have ever traveled?

The Apollo 10 crew reached about 39,897 kph (24,791 mph) during reentry in 1969 - the fastest speed achieved by humans relative to Earth.