Convert mps to knots
Convert mps to knots instantly. 1 m/s = 1.943844 kn. Formula, worked examples and a quick reference table.
Last updated
One meter per second equals 1.943844 knots. To convert any number of meters per second to knots, multiply by 1.94384449.
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.
mps to knots formula
To go the other way, use meter per second = knot ÷ 1.94384449.
About these units
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.
One knot is one nautical mile per hour. The name comes from the knotted rope once trailed behind a ship to measure its speed.
Meter per second is also written metres per second, meters per second, mps and ms-1. Knot is also written knots, kts, kt, nautical miles per hour, knoten, nudos and noeuds.
Sources
- International Hydrographic Conference, Monaco, 1929 — the international nautical mile as exactly 1,852 metres, from which the knot follows.
mps to knots conversion table
| Meter per second | Knot |
|---|---|
| 1 m/s | 1.9438 kn |
| 2 m/s | 3.8877 kn |
| 3 m/s | 5.8315 kn |
| 5 m/s | 9.7192 kn |
| 10 m/s | 19.4384 kn |
| 20 m/s | 38.8769 kn |
| 25 m/s | 48.5961 kn |
| 50 m/s | 97.1922 kn |
| 100 m/s | 194.3844 kn |
| 250 m/s | 485.9611 kn |
| 500 m/s | 971.9222 kn |
| 1,000 m/s | 1,943.8445 kn |
Frequently asked questions
How many knots are in a meter per second? +
There are 1.943844 knots in one meter per second.
What is 10 m/s in kn? +
10 m/s equals 19.4384 kn. Multiply 10 by 1.94384449.
How do I convert knot back to meter per second? +
Use meter per second = knot ÷ 1.94384449. The converter above handles both directions, or see our dedicated knots to mps page.
How accurate is this meter per second to knot conversion? +
The factor used is 1.9438444924, 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 m/s to kn in my head? +
Round the factor to 1.94 and multiply. That is 0.1978% off the exact value of 1.943844, which is fine for a rough figure and not for anything that has to balance.