Metres per second (m/s) may seem inconspicuous, but it plays a critical role in understanding speed and velocity in scientific contexts. The unit underpins numerous fundamental concepts in physics and engineering, such as calculating the speed of sound at approximately 343 m/s in air at room temperature. This speed metric is also central to space exploration, where spacecraft velocity is often measured in meters per second to ensure precision in navigation and successful missions.
Beyond Earth, Jupiter’s moon, Io, erupts volcanic plumes that reach speeds of over 1,000 m/s, showcasing this unit’s application in celestial phenomena. Transitioning to daily life, elite athletes can clock speeds around 10 m/s during sprints, a testament to human capability. By providing a consistent metric, meters per second serves as a universal bridge across varied disciplines and contexts.
The knot, a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, has its origins in the age of sail. Mariners used a device known as the “common log” to measure a ship’s speed. This involved a wooden log attached to a rope with knots tied at uniform intervals. By counting the knots that passed through a sailor’s hands over a set period, they could determine the ship’s speed. Today, knots remain an essential measure in aviation and maritime contexts, underscoring how deeply it is embedded in navigation traditions.
Interestingly, the nautical mile, corresponding to one minute of latitude, is roughly 1.1508 miles. This makes the knot not only a unique unit for speed but also a reminder of the Earth’s curvature and ancient navigation skills.
| Metres per second | Knots |
|---|---|
0
m/s
|
0
knot
|
1
m/s
|
1.94385
knot
|
2
m/s
|
3.88769
knot
|
3
m/s
|
5.83154
knot
|
4
m/s
|
7.77538
knot
|
5
m/s
|
9.71923
knot
|
6
m/s
|
11.66307
knot
|
7
m/s
|
13.60692
knot
|
8
m/s
|
15.55076
knot
|
9
m/s
|
17.49461
knot
|
10
m/s
|
19.43845
knot
|
11
m/s
|
21.3823
knot
|
12
m/s
|
23.32614
knot
|
13
m/s
|
25.26999
knot
|
14
m/s
|
27.21383
knot
|
15
m/s
|
29.15768
knot
|
16
m/s
|
31.10152
knot
|
17
m/s
|
33.04537
knot
|
18
m/s
|
34.98921
knot
|
19
m/s
|
36.93306
knot
|
20
m/s
|
38.8769
knot
|
21
m/s
|
40.82075
knot
|
22
m/s
|
42.7646
knot
|
23
m/s
|
44.70844
knot
|
24
m/s
|
46.65229
knot
|
25
m/s
|
48.59613
knot
|
26
m/s
|
50.53998
knot
|
27
m/s
|
52.48382
knot
|
28
m/s
|
54.42767
knot
|
29
m/s
|
56.37151
knot
|
30
m/s
|
58.31536
knot
|
31
m/s
|
60.2592
knot
|
32
m/s
|
62.20305
knot
|
33
m/s
|
64.14689
knot
|
34
m/s
|
66.09074
knot
|
35
m/s
|
68.03458
knot
|
36
m/s
|
69.97843
knot
|
37
m/s
|
71.92227
knot
|
38
m/s
|
73.86612
knot
|
39
m/s
|
75.80996
knot
|
40
m/s
|
77.75381
knot
|
41
m/s
|
79.69766
knot
|
42
m/s
|
81.6415
knot
|
43
m/s
|
83.58535
knot
|
44
m/s
|
85.52919
knot
|
45
m/s
|
87.47304
knot
|
46
m/s
|
89.41688
knot
|
47
m/s
|
91.36073
knot
|
48
m/s
|
93.30457
knot
|
49
m/s
|
95.24842
knot
|
50
m/s
|
97.19226
knot
|
51
m/s
|
99.13611
knot
|
52
m/s
|
101.07995
knot
|
53
m/s
|
103.0238
knot
|
54
m/s
|
104.96764
knot
|
55
m/s
|
106.91149
knot
|
56
m/s
|
108.85533
knot
|
57
m/s
|
110.79918
knot
|
58
m/s
|
112.74302
knot
|
59
m/s
|
114.68687
knot
|
60
m/s
|
116.63071
knot
|
61
m/s
|
118.57456
knot
|
62
m/s
|
120.51841
knot
|
63
m/s
|
122.46225
knot
|
64
m/s
|
124.4061
knot
|
65
m/s
|
126.34994
knot
|
66
m/s
|
128.29379
knot
|
67
m/s
|
130.23763
knot
|
68
m/s
|
132.18148
knot
|
69
m/s
|
134.12532
knot
|
70
m/s
|
136.06917
knot
|
71
m/s
|
138.01301
knot
|
72
m/s
|
139.95686
knot
|
73
m/s
|
141.9007
knot
|
74
m/s
|
143.84455
knot
|
75
m/s
|
145.78839
knot
|
76
m/s
|
147.73224
knot
|
77
m/s
|
149.67608
knot
|
78
m/s
|
151.61993
knot
|
79
m/s
|
153.56377
knot
|
80
m/s
|
155.50762
knot
|
81
m/s
|
157.45147
knot
|
82
m/s
|
159.39531
knot
|
83
m/s
|
161.33916
knot
|
84
m/s
|
163.283
knot
|
85
m/s
|
165.22685
knot
|
86
m/s
|
167.17069
knot
|
87
m/s
|
169.11454
knot
|
88
m/s
|
171.05838
knot
|
89
m/s
|
173.00223
knot
|
90
m/s
|
174.94607
knot
|
91
m/s
|
176.88992
knot
|
92
m/s
|
178.83376
knot
|
93
m/s
|
180.77761
knot
|
94
m/s
|
182.72145
knot
|
95
m/s
|
184.6653
knot
|
96
m/s
|
186.60914
knot
|
97
m/s
|
188.55299
knot
|
98
m/s
|
190.49683
knot
|
99
m/s
|
192.44068
knot
|
100
m/s
|
194.38452
knot
|
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