Meter per second (m/s) - Unit Information & Conversion

Quick Answer

What is a meter per second? The meter per second (m/s) is the SI fundamental unit of speed and velocity, meaning the distance in meters traveled in one second. Walking speed is approximately 1.4 m/s, highway driving is 28 m/s (100 km/h), and the speed of sound is 343 m/s. 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 2.237 mph = 3.281 ft/s = 1.944 knots. The meter per second is the standard unit for all scientific velocity measurements because it integrates seamlessly with other SI units—no conversion factors needed in physics equations. Use our speed converter for all your m/s conversions.

Quick Comparison Table

Speed	m/s	km/h	mph	Common Example
Very slow	0.5 m/s	1.8 km/h	1.1 mph	Leisurely stroll
Walking	1.4 m/s	5 km/h	3.1 mph	Average walking pace
Jogging	3 m/s	11 km/h	6.8 mph	Light jog
Running	6 m/s	22 km/h	13.4 mph	Good running pace
Sprinting	10 m/s	36 km/h	22.4 mph	Olympic sprinter average
Bolt world record	12.4 m/s	44.7 km/h	27.8 mph	Usain Bolt peak speed
City driving	14 m/s	50 km/h	31 mph	Urban speed limit
Highway	28 m/s	100 km/h	62 mph	Highway cruising
Hurricane wind	33 m/s	119 km/h	74 mph	Category 1 hurricane threshold
High-speed train	83 m/s	300 km/h	186 mph	Bullet train cruising
Airliner	250 m/s	900 km/h	559 mph	Commercial jet cruise
Sound (20°C)	343 m/s	1,235 km/h	767 mph	Mach 1 at sea level
Orbital velocity	7,660 m/s	27,600 km/h	17,150 mph	Low Earth orbit (ISS)
Earth around Sun	30,000 m/s	107,000 km/h	66,600 mph	Earth's orbital speed
Light	299,792,458 m/s	~1.08×10⁹ km/h	~670 million mph	Universe speed limit

Definition and Standards

The meter per second is defined as:

SI Definition

1 m/s = the velocity of a body that travels a distance of one meter in a time interval of one second.

Formula: v (m/s) = distance (m) / time (s)

SI coherence: The meter per second is a coherent derived unit, meaning it's derived directly from SI base units (meter and second) without numerical factors other than 1.

Why m/s is the "Standard"

Coherent unit integration: Physics equations work directly without conversion factors:

• Force: F = ma → 1 Newton = 1 kg × 1 m/s² (acceleration in m/s²)
• Momentum: p = mv → 1 kg·m/s (velocity in m/s)
• Kinetic energy: KE = ½mv² → 1 Joule = 1 kg × (1 m/s)²
• Power: P = Fv → 1 Watt = 1 N × 1 m/s

If you used km/h or mph, every equation would need messy conversion factors. Using m/s keeps mathematics clean and consistent across all branches of physics and engineering.

Standard Conversions

Metric conversions:

• 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h (exactly, since 1 hour = 3,600 seconds)
• 1 m/s = 0.001 km/s (kilometer per second)
• 1 m/s = 100 cm/s (centimeter per second)
• 1 m/s = 1,000 mm/s (millimeter per second)

Imperial/US conversions:

• 1 m/s = 3.28084 ft/s (feet per second)
• 1 m/s = 2.23694 mph (miles per hour)
• 1 m/s = 196.850 ft/min (feet per minute)

Marine/aviation:

• 1 m/s = 1.94384 knots (nautical miles per hour)
• 1 m/s = 0.00291545 Mach (at sea level, 15°C standard atmosphere)

Relationship to Acceleration

Meters per second squared (m/s²) measures acceleration (rate of change of velocity):

• Gravity: g = 9.8 m/s² (velocity increases 9.8 m/s every second when falling)
• Car acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 5 seconds = average 5.6 m/s² acceleration
• Space shuttle launch: ~30 m/s² (3g) maximum acceleration

History and Evolution

The Metric System Birth (1790s)

French Revolution context: Pre-revolutionary France had hundreds of different units varying by region and trade, causing economic chaos and fraud. The revolutionary government sought rational, universal standards.

The meter (1793):

• Defined as one ten-millionth (1/10,000,000) of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator through Paris
• Physical standard: platinum bar stored in Paris
• Intent: Based on Earth itself, accessible to all nations, unchanging

The second:

• Already standardized internationally as 1/86,400 of a mean solar day
• Based on Earth's rotation (later refined with atomic clocks)

Natural combination: Scientists and engineers naturally combined meters and seconds to express velocity, though initially various fractional units appeared (cm/s in CGS system, km/h for transportation).

19th Century: Scientific Standardization

CGS system (1860s-1870s):

• Centimeter-gram-second system popular in physics
• Velocity often expressed in cm/s (centimeters per second)
• Used in electromagnetism, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics

MKS system (late 1800s):

• Meter-kilogram-second system proposed by Giovanni Giorgi (1901)
• m/s became the practical velocity unit for engineering
• Better suited to human-scale measurements than cm/s

Metre Convention (1875):

• Treaty of the Metre established International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)
• Standardized meter and kilogram across signatory nations
• Enabled consistent velocity measurements internationally—critical for:
  • Ballistics and military applications
  • Railway engineering (train speeds, braking distances)
  • Early aeronautics and automotive engineering

SI System Adoption (1960)

11th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM, 1960):

• Established the International System of Units (SI)
• Formally designated m/s as the coherent derived unit for velocity
• Unified previously fragmented metric systems (CGS, MKS, MTS)

Coherence principle: SI units multiply and divide to form other SI units without numerical factors:

• Velocity (m/s) = distance (m) / time (s)
• Acceleration (m/s²) = velocity (m/s) / time (s)
• Force (N = kg·m/s²) = mass (kg) × acceleration (m/s²)
• Momentum (kg·m/s) = mass (kg) × velocity (m/s)

Global adoption timeline:

• 1960s-1970s: Scientific community worldwide adopts SI
• 1970s-1980s: Most countries transition official measurements to SI
• 1990s-2000s: International standards (ISO, IEC) require SI units
• Current: ~195 countries use metric system officially; US, Liberia, Myanmar hold out for general use but use SI in science

The Speed of Light Definition (1983)

17th CGPM (1983): Redefined the meter based on the speed of light:

• Speed of light in vacuum: c = 299,792,458 m/s (exactly, by definition)
• The meter is now: the length of the path traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second
• The second is defined by atomic clocks (cesium-133 hyperfine transition)

Implications:

• Fundamental constant traceability: m/s is now based on fundamental physics (speed of light), not human artifacts (meter bar)
• Ultimate precision: Velocity measurements as accurate as atomic time measurements
• Universal standard: Same meter per second measurement anywhere in universe

Real-World Examples and Applications

Human Motion

Walking speeds:

• Leisurely walk: 0.8-1.2 m/s (2.9-4.3 km/h)
• Average walking: 1.4 m/s (5.0 km/h, 3.1 mph)
• Brisk walking: 1.8-2.0 m/s (6.5-7.2 km/h)
• Power walking/race walking: 2.5-3.5 m/s (9-12.6 km/h)

Running speeds:

• Light jog: 2-3 m/s (7-11 km/h)
• Moderate run: 3-4 m/s (11-14 km/h)
• Fast run: 5-6 m/s (18-22 km/h)
• Competitive distance running: 6-7 m/s (22-25 km/h, marathon pace for elite runners)
• Sprint: 8-10 m/s (29-36 km/h, recreational sprinter)
• World-class sprint: 10-12.4 m/s (36-45 km/h)

Usain Bolt world records:

• 100m average speed: 10.44 m/s (37.58 km/h, 23.35 mph)
• Peak speed (60-80m mark): 12.42 m/s (44.72 km/h, 27.8 mph)—fastest human ever recorded

Other human motion:

• Swimming (Olympic freestyle): 2-2.5 m/s (7-9 km/h)
• Cycling (recreational): 5-8 m/s (18-29 km/h)
• Cycling (professional race): 12-15 m/s (43-54 km/h, Tour de France average)
• Skydiving (terminal velocity, belly-to-earth): 55 m/s (200 km/h, 120 mph)
• Skydiving (head-down streamline): 90 m/s (320 km/h, 200 mph)

Animals and Nature

Land animals:

• Cheetah (fastest land animal): 29 m/s (104 km/h, 65 mph)—short bursts only
• Pronghorn antelope: 19 m/s (67 km/h, 42 mph)—sustained speed
• Lion: 22 m/s (80 km/h, 50 mph)
• Greyhound: 20 m/s (72 km/h, 45 mph)
• House cat: 13 m/s (48 km/h, 30 mph)
• Elephant: 7 m/s (25 km/h, 16 mph)

Flying animals:

• Peregrine falcon (diving stoop): 89 m/s (320 km/h, 200 mph)—fastest animal on Earth
• Golden eagle (dive): 67 m/s (240 km/h, 150 mph)
• Hummingbird (normal flight): 12 m/s (43 km/h, 27 mph)
• Pigeon: 17 m/s (60 km/h, 37 mph)

Water and weather:

• Raindrop (small, 1mm): 2 m/s (7 km/h)
• Raindrop (large, 5mm): 9 m/s (32 km/h)—terminal velocity
• River current: 0.5-2 m/s (slow to moderate rivers)
• Wind speeds:
  • Light breeze: 1.5-3 m/s (5-11 km/h, Beaufort 2)
  • Moderate breeze: 5.5-8 m/s (20-29 km/h, Beaufort 4)
  • Strong breeze: 11-14 m/s (39-50 km/h, Beaufort 6)
  • Gale: 17-21 m/s (62-75 km/h, Beaufort 8)
  • Storm: 25-28 m/s (89-102 km/h, Beaufort 10)
  • Hurricane force: >33 m/s (>119 km/h, Beaufort 12)
• Tornado (EF5): >90 m/s (>322 km/h, >200 mph)

Transportation

Road vehicles:

• School zone: 5.6 m/s (20 km/h, 12 mph)
• Urban speed limit: 14 m/s (50 km/h, 31 mph)
• Suburban residential: 8-11 m/s (30-40 km/h, 19-25 mph)
• Highway speed limit: 28-33 m/s (100-120 km/h, 62-75 mph)
• Autobahn (no limit sections): 50+ m/s (180+ km/h, 112+ mph)
• Formula 1 race car: 90-100 m/s (324-360 km/h, 201-224 mph)
• Land speed record (ThrustSSC, 1997): 341 m/s (1,228 km/h, 763 mph)—supersonic car

Rail:

• Freight train: 14-22 m/s (50-80 km/h, 31-50 mph)
• Commuter train: 25-36 m/s (90-130 km/h, 56-81 mph)
• High-speed train (Shinkansen, TGV, ICE): 69-83 m/s (250-300 km/h, 155-186 mph)
• Maglev record (Japan L0, 2015): 163 m/s (603 km/h, 375 mph)

Marine:

• Cruise ship: 10-12 m/s (20-23 knots, 37-44 km/h)
• Cargo ship: 7-10 m/s (14-19 knots, 25-36 km/h)
• Sailboat (racing yacht): 12-15 m/s (23-29 knots, 43-54 km/h)
• Hydrofoil ferry: 22-28 m/s (43-54 knots, 79-100 km/h)
• Water speed record: 138 m/s (268 knots, 496 km/h)

Aviation:

• Helicopter (cruise): 50-70 m/s (180-252 km/h, 112-157 mph)
• Cessna 172 (small plane): 55 m/s (198 km/h, 123 mph)
• Commercial airliner (cruise): 230-260 m/s (830-940 km/h, 515-584 mph, Mach 0.75-0.85)
• Fighter jet (Mach 2): 680 m/s (2,450 km/h, 1,520 mph)
• SR-71 Blackbird (record): 981 m/s (3,530 km/h, 2,193 mph, Mach 3.3)
• X-15 rocket plane (record): 2,020 m/s (7,274 km/h, 4,520 mph, Mach 6.7)

Space:

• Space Shuttle (reentry): 7,800 m/s (28,000 km/h, 17,400 mph)
• ISS orbital velocity: 7,660 m/s (27,600 km/h, 17,150 mph)
• Apollo 10 (fastest crewed vehicle): 11,080 m/s (39,897 km/h, 24,791 mph)
• Escape velocity (Earth): 11,200 m/s (40,320 km/h, 25,054 mph)
• Parker Solar Probe (record, 2021): 163,000 m/s (586,800 km/h, 364,621 mph)—fastest human-made object

Physics Constants

Speed of sound:

• Air (20°C, sea level): 343 m/s (1,235 km/h, 767 mph) = Mach 1
• Air (0°C): 331 m/s
• Air (-40°C, high altitude): 306 m/s
• Water (20°C): 1,481 m/s (4.3× faster than air)
• Steel: 5,960 m/s (17× faster than air)

Orbital velocities:

• Low Earth orbit (ISS altitude): 7,660 m/s
• Geostationary orbit: 3,070 m/s
• Earth around Sun: 29,780 m/s (107,000 km/h)
• Sun around Milky Way: 220,000 m/s (792,000 km/h)

Speed of light:

• Vacuum: c = 299,792,458 m/s (exactly, by SI definition)
• Air: ~299,700,000 m/s (0.03% slower)
• Water: ~225,000,000 m/s (75% of vacuum speed)
• Glass: ~200,000,000 m/s (67% of vacuum speed)

Common Uses Across Industries

Physics and Scientific Research

• Fundamental constant: All velocity measurements in research papers reported in m/s
• Kinematics: Position, velocity, acceleration equations use m/s and m/s²
• Dynamics: Force, momentum, energy calculations require m/s for SI coherence
• Relativity: Velocities expressed as fractions of c (speed of light in m/s)

Engineering

• Mechanical engineering: Shaft speeds, piston velocities, fluid flow rates in m/s
• Civil engineering: Wind loads, water flow in channels, traffic flow modeling
• Aerospace engineering: Aircraft speeds, rocket velocities, orbital mechanics
• Automotive engineering: Crash testing, braking distances, aerodynamic analysis

Meteorology and Climate Science

• Wind speed: Anemometers calibrated in m/s, weather models use m/s internally
• Storm classification: Hurricane/typhoon wind speeds in m/s (Saffir-Simpson scale)
• Atmospheric circulation: Jet stream velocities, air mass movements
• Ocean currents: Surface and deep ocean current speeds in m/s

Sports Science and Biomechanics

• Performance analysis: Sprint speeds, swimming velocities, ball speeds
• Equipment testing: Golf club head speed, tennis racket velocity, baseball pitch speed
• Injury prevention: Impact velocities, deceleration rates during collisions
• Training optimization: Treadmill speeds, cycling power-to-velocity relationships

Robotics and Automation

• Motion control: Robot arm velocities, conveyor belt speeds
• Autonomous vehicles: Speed sensing, collision avoidance calculations
• Drones: Flight speed control, stability algorithms
• Manufacturing: CNC machine tool speeds, assembly line velocities

Conversion Guide

m/s to Other Units

m/s to km/h (kilometers per hour):

• Formula: km/h = m/s × 3.6
• Example: 25 m/s = 25 × 3.6 = 90 km/h
• Mental math: Multiply by ~4 for rough estimate

m/s to mph (miles per hour):

• Formula: mph = m/s × 2.23694
• Example: 30 m/s = 30 × 2.237 = 67.1 mph
• Mental math: Multiply by ~2.2 or double and add 10%

m/s to ft/s (feet per second):

• Formula: ft/s = m/s × 3.28084
• Example: 10 m/s = 10 × 3.281 = 32.8 ft/s
• Mental math: Multiply by ~3.3

m/s to knots:

• Formula: knots = m/s × 1.94384
• Example: 20 m/s = 20 × 1.944 = 38.9 knots
• Mental math: Multiply by ~2

m/s to Mach (at sea level, 15°C):

• Formula: Mach = m/s ÷ 343
• Example: 343 m/s = Mach 1.0
• Example: 686 m/s = Mach 2.0

From Other Units to m/s

km/h to m/s:

• Formula: m/s = km/h ÷ 3.6
• Example: 100 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 27.8 m/s
• Mental math: Divide by ~4, or multiply by 0.28

mph to m/s:

• Formula: m/s = mph ÷ 2.23694 (or mph × 0.44704)
• Example: 60 mph = 60 × 0.447 = 26.8 m/s
• Mental math: Divide by ~2.2, or halve and subtract 10%

ft/s to m/s:

• Formula: m/s = ft/s ÷ 3.28084 (or ft/s × 0.3048)
• Example: 100 ft/s = 100 × 0.3048 = 30.48 m/s
• Mental math: Divide by ~3.3, or multiply by 0.3

knots to m/s:

• Formula: m/s = knots ÷ 1.94384 (or knots × 0.514444)
• Example: 50 knots = 50 × 0.514 = 25.7 m/s
• Mental math: Divide by ~2, or halve

Quick Mental Math Approximations

The "3.6 rule" (m/s ↔ km/h):

• m/s → km/h: Multiply by 3.6 (or ×4 for rough estimate)
• km/h → m/s: Divide by 3.6 (or ÷4 for rough estimate)
• Example: 100 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 27.8 m/s (or ~25 m/s rough)

The "2.2 rule" (m/s ↔ mph):

• m/s → mph: Multiply by 2.2 (or double + 10%)
• mph → m/s: Divide by 2.2 (or halve - 10%)
• Example: 20 m/s × 2.2 = 44 mph

Common speed anchors (memorize):

• Walking: 1.4 m/s = 5 km/h = 3 mph
• Highway: 28 m/s = 100 km/h = 62 mph
• Sound: 343 m/s = 1,235 km/h = 767 mph = Mach 1

Common Conversion Mistakes

Mistake 1: Multiplying When You Should Divide (or vice versa)

Wrong: Converting 100 km/h by multiplying by 3.6 → 360 m/s (way too fast!) Right: 100 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 27.8 m/s

How to remember:

• m/s is the smaller unit (1 meter < 1 kilometer), so the number is larger
• Converting from larger unit (km/h) to smaller unit (m/s) → divide to get bigger number
• Converting from smaller unit (m/s) to larger unit (km/h) → multiply to get even bigger number
• Wait, that's confusing... Better rule: m/s measures "per second", which is a short time, so speeds in m/s are numerically larger than in km/h (per hour = longer time)

Mistake 2: Confusing m/s with mph

Wrong: Thinking "20 m/s is about the same as 20 mph" Right: 20 m/s = 45 mph (more than double!)

Why it matters:

• Weather forecast: "Wind 20 m/s" = 45 mph gale force winds, not a 20 mph breeze
• Safety: Misunderstanding impact speeds in crash testing could be fatal

Mistake 3: Confusing Velocity (m/s) with Acceleration (m/s²)

Wrong: "Gravity is 9.8 m/s" Right: "Gravity is 9.8 m/s²" (meters per second squared)

Difference:

• Velocity (m/s): How fast you're moving
• Acceleration (m/s²): How quickly your velocity changes
• After 1 second of free fall: velocity = 9.8 m/s
• After 2 seconds: velocity = 19.6 m/s (acceleration = 9.8 m/s²)

Mistake 4: Forgetting to Convert Hours to Seconds

Wrong: Using 100 km/h directly in F = ma calculations Right: Convert to 27.8 m/s first, then calculate

Why: Physics equations using SI units require m/s:

• Kinetic energy: KE = ½mv² (v must be in m/s)
• Momentum: p = mv (v must be in m/s)
• Force: F = ma (a in m/s² requires v in m/s)

Mistake 5: Precision vs Rough Estimates

Wrong: Using "×4" for km/h → m/s and expecting exact answer Right: ×4 is rough estimate; use ÷3.6 (or ×0.2778) for precision

Example:

• 100 km/h × 0.25 (÷4) = 25 m/s (rough, 10% error)
• 100 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 27.78 m/s (exact)
• For engineering/science: use exact conversion
• For mental math/estimates: rough is fine

Mistake 6: Wrong Mach Number Conversion

Wrong: Assuming Mach 1 = 343 m/s everywhere Right: Speed of sound varies with temperature and altitude

Speed of sound:

• Sea level, 15°C: 340 m/s
• Sea level, 20°C: 343 m/s
• 10,000m altitude, -50°C: 299 m/s
• Always specify conditions when converting m/s ↔ Mach

Quick Reference Card

Essential Conversions

From m/s	Multiply by	To get
1 m/s	3.6	km/h
1 m/s	2.237	mph
1 m/s	3.281	ft/s
1 m/s	1.944	knots
1 m/s	1/343	Mach (sea level, 20°C)

Common Speeds

Description	m/s	km/h	mph
Walking	1.4	5	3.1
Jogging	3	11	6.8
Running	6	22	13.4
Sprinting	10	36	22.4
City limit	14	50	31
Highway	28	100	62
High-speed train	83	300	186
Airliner	250	900	559
Sound (20°C)	343	1,235	767
LEO orbit	7,660	27,600	17,150

Quick Mental Math

• m/s → km/h: Multiply by ~3.6 (or ×4 rough)
• m/s → mph: Multiply by ~2.2 (or double + 10%)
• km/h → m/s: Divide by ~3.6 (or ÷4 rough)
• mph → m/s: Divide by ~2.2 (or halve - 10%)

Physics Formulas Using m/s

• Velocity: v = Δx / Δt (m/s)
• Acceleration: a = Δv / Δt (m/s²)
• Force: F = ma (N = kg·m/s²)
• Momentum: p = mv (kg·m/s)
• Kinetic Energy: KE = ½mv² (J = kg·m²/s²)

Your Next Steps

For Physics Students and Educators

Master velocity calculations in m/s for kinematics (v = d/t, v² = u² + 2as), understand the difference between speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), and practice converting between m/s, km/h, and mph. Learn how m/s integrates seamlessly into force (F = ma), momentum (p = mv), and energy (KE = ½mv²) equations without conversion factors.

Start here: m/s to km/h converter → | m/s to mph converter →

For Engineers and Technical Professionals

Use m/s as the standard velocity unit in all technical calculations, specifications, and documentation to ensure SI coherence. Master conversions for international projects (m/s ↔ ft/s, mph, knots) and understand when to use instantaneous vs average velocity in fluid mechanics, structural wind loads, and mechanical design.

Start here: m/s to ft/s converter → | Speed unit comparisons →

For Meteorology and Weather Enthusiasts

Learn to read anemometer measurements in m/s, convert to km/h or mph for public communication, and understand the Beaufort wind scale (0-32.7+ m/s). Memorize that hurricane force begins at 33 m/s (119 km/h, 74 mph) and practice estimating wind speed from observed effects.

Start here: m/s to knots converter → | Beaufort scale →

For Sports Scientists and Coaches

Measure athlete velocities in m/s for precise biomechanical analysis—sprint speeds (6-12.4 m/s), swimming (2-2.5 m/s), cycling (12-15 m/s). Calculate power output (P = Fv) using force in Newtons and velocity in m/s, and track performance improvements with 0.1 m/s precision.

Start here: Speed calculators → | m/s conversions →

For Aviation and Marine Professionals

Convert between m/s, knots, and Mach number for flight planning and weather interpretation. Understand that 1 knot ≈ 0.51 m/s, speed of sound is ~343 m/s at sea level (varies with temperature), and airspeed indicators may display multiple units simultaneously.

Start here: m/s to knots converter → | m/s to Mach converter →

For Students and Curious Minds

Explore how velocity differs from speed (vector vs scalar), practice everyday velocity estimates (walking 1.4 m/s, driving 28 m/s, sound 343 m/s), and understand why physics uses m/s instead of km/h (coherent SI units). Challenge yourself to estimate velocities and check with conversions.

Start here: What is speed? → | m/s converter →