Convert knots to mps
Convert knots to mps instantly. 1 kn = 0.514444 m/s. Formula, worked examples and a quick reference table.
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One knot equals 0.514444 meters per second. To convert any number of knots to meters per second, multiply by 0.51444444.
The converter above works in both directions and updates as you type. Below you will find the formula, a worked example and a reference table of common values.
Speed conversions divide by audience. Road speeds move between kilometres and miles per hour and are what a driver or a runner needs. Metres per second is what every equation of motion expects, so it is the form any physics problem has to reach. Knots belong to the sea and the air, where one knot is one nautical mile per hour and a nautical mile is one minute of latitude — a system built around navigation rather than around convenience.
knots to mps formula
To go the other way, use knot = meter per second ÷ 0.51444444.
About these units
One knot is one nautical mile per hour. The name comes from the knotted rope once trailed behind a ship to measure its speed.
Metres per second is the SI speed unit and the one every equation of motion expects. Wind speeds in meteorology are usually reported in it.
Knot is also written knots, kts, kt, nautical miles per hour, knoten, nudos and noeuds. Meter per second is also written metres per second, meters per second, mps and ms-1.
Sources
- International Hydrographic Conference, Monaco, 1929 — the international nautical mile as exactly 1,852 metres, from which the knot follows.
knots to mps conversion table
| Knot | Meter per second |
|---|---|
| 1 kn | 0.5144 m/s |
| 2 kn | 1.0289 m/s |
| 3 kn | 1.5433 m/s |
| 5 kn | 2.5722 m/s |
| 10 kn | 5.1444 m/s |
| 20 kn | 10.2889 m/s |
| 25 kn | 12.8611 m/s |
| 50 kn | 25.7222 m/s |
| 100 kn | 51.4444 m/s |
| 250 kn | 128.6111 m/s |
| 500 kn | 257.2222 m/s |
| 1,000 kn | 514.4444 m/s |
Frequently asked questions
How many meters per second are in a knot? +
There are 0.514444 meters per second in one knot.
What is 10 kn in m/s? +
10 kn equals 5.1444 m/s. Multiply 10 by 0.51444444.
How do I convert meter per second back to knot? +
Use knot = meter per second ÷ 0.51444444. The converter above handles both directions, or see our dedicated mps to knots page.
How accurate is this knot to meter per second conversion? +
The factor used is 0.5144444444, carried at full double precision. Where a unit has an exact legal definition the factor is exact rather than approximate. Rounding is applied only to the displayed result, so the answer is never a calculation done on an already-rounded number.
Is there a quick way to estimate kn to m/s in my head? +
Round the factor to 0.514 and multiply. That is 0.08639% off the exact value of 0.514444, which is fine for a rough figure and not for anything that has to balance.