Meters per Second to Miles per Hour Converter
Convert speed from meters per second (m/s) to miles per hour (mph) easily and accurately.
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Table of Contents
Understanding Speed Units: Meters per Second and Miles per Hour
What are Meters per Second (m/s)?
Meters per second (m/s) is the SI (International System of Units) derived unit for speed or velocity in the metric system. It represents the distance traveled in meters during one second of time. This unit is commonly used in:
- Physics and engineering applications
- Scientific research and measurements
- Academic contexts worldwide
- Athletic performance measurements (e.g., sprinting speed)
- Countries that use the metric system
Formula for meters per second:
v(m/s) = distance in meters ÷ time in seconds
What are Miles per Hour (mph)?
Miles per hour (mph) is a unit of speed commonly used in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other countries that have historically used the imperial system. It represents the number of miles traveled in one hour. This unit is widely used for:
- Vehicle speed limits and speedometers
- Weather reporting (wind speeds)
- Sports (baseball pitching, tennis serves)
- Aviation (ground speed measurements)
- General public understanding of speed in the US and UK
Formula for miles per hour:
v(mph) = distance in miles ÷ time in hours
Relationship Between m/s and mph
The relationship between meters per second and miles per hour is defined by the conversion factor:
1 m/s = 2.23694 mph
1 mph = 0.44704 m/s
This relationship is derived from the fundamental units:
- 1 mile = 1,609.344 meters (exactly)
- 1 hour = 3,600 seconds
Historical Context and Usage
The meter was originally defined in 1793 during the French Revolution as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole. Today, it's defined by the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
The mile has ancient Roman origins, derived from "mille passus" meaning "thousand paces." The current statute mile of 5,280 feet was established in the 16th century.
In practical terms, here are some common speed references:
| Speed Reference | m/s | mph |
|---|---|---|
| Average walking speed | 1.4 m/s | ~3.1 mph |
| Jogging speed | 2.7 m/s | ~6 mph |
| Cycling speed (casual) | 5.4 m/s | ~12 mph |
| Urban speed limit | 13.4 m/s | 30 mph |
| Highway speed | 26.8 m/s | 60 mph |
| Usain Bolt's top speed | ~12.4 m/s | ~27.8 mph |
Scientific Applications
In physics and engineering, meters per second is preferred because:
- It works directly with the SI unit system
- Calculations with acceleration (m/s²) are more straightforward
- Scientific formulas typically use meters, kilograms, and seconds
For example, the kinetic energy formula:
KE = (1/2) × mass × velocity²
When using SI units (kg for mass and m/s for velocity), the result is in joules (J) without additional conversion.
- Use m/s for scientific and technical work
- Use mph for everyday speed discussions in the US and UK
- To convert from m/s to mph, multiply by 2.237
- To convert from mph to m/s, multiply by 0.447
How to Convert MPS to MPH
To convert meters per second to miles per hour, follow these steps:
-
1Take the speed in meters per second
-
2Divide by 0.44704 (the conversion factor)
26.82 m/s = 26.82 ÷ 0.44704 = 60 mph
13.41 m/s = 13.41 ÷ 0.44704 = 30 mph
44.70 m/s = 44.70 ÷ 0.44704 = 100 mph
Common Examples
Example 1 26.82 m/s
26.82 m/s = 60 mph
Example 2 13.41 m/s
13.41 m/s = 30 mph
Example 3 44.70 m/s
44.70 m/s = 100 mph
Example 4 6.71 m/s
6.71 m/s = 15 mph