Speed Calculator
Calculate speed, distance, or time using the formula: speed = distance / time
speed = distance / time
Calculation Result
Speed Converter
Speed Calculator
Speed is one of the most fundamental concepts in physics and everyday life. Whether you’re calculating your running pace, planning a road trip, or studying motion in physics class, understanding how to calculate speed accurately is essential. Our speed calculator makes these calculations instant and effortless, supporting multiple unit systems and real-world scenarios.
What is Speed?
Speed is defined as the distance traveled per unit of time. It’s a scalar quantity that tells you how fast something is moving, regardless of direction. The basic formula for speed calculation is simple yet powerful:
Speed = Distance ÷ Time
This fundamental equation forms the basis of all speed calculations and is used across scientific, athletic, and transportation contexts worldwide.
| Unit | m/s | km/h | mph | kn (knots) | ft/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 meter/second [m/s] | 1 | 3.6 | 2.2369 | 1.9438 | 3.2808 |
| 1 kilometer/hour [km/h] | 0.2778 | 1 | 0.6214 | 0.5399 | 0.9114 |
| 1 mile/hour [mph] | 0.4470 | 1.6093 | 1 | 0.8689 | 1.4667 |
| 1 knot [kn] | 0.5144 | 1.852 | 1.1508 | 1 | 1.6878 |
| 1 foot/second [ft/s] | 0.3048 | 1.0973 | 0.6818 | 0.5925 | 1 |
Common Units of Speed
Speed can be measured in many different units depending on the context and region. Below is a comprehensive conversion table showing how different speed units relate to each other:
Quick Conversion Facts
- 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h – The most common scientific conversion
- 1 km/h = 0.621 mph – Converting kilometers to miles
- 1 mph = 1.609 km/h – Converting miles to kilometers
- 1 knot = 1.852 km/h – Maritime and aviation measurement
- 1 foot/second = 0.3048 m/s – Engineering and construction contexts
Common Units of Speed Explained
Different regions and industries use different units to measure speed. Understanding these units is crucial for accurate communication and calculation:
- Kilometers per hour (km/h) – The most commonly used unit worldwide for road vehicles and general transportation. This is the standard in most countries outside the United States.
- Miles per hour (mph) – Primarily used in the United States, United Kingdom, and a few other countries. Essential for understanding vehicle speed limits in these regions.
- Meters per second (m/s) – The standard SI unit in physics and scientific calculations. Used in academic and professional scientific contexts.
- Knots (kn) – Used for maritime and aviation speed measurements. One knot equals 1.852 km/h and represents one nautical mile per hour.
- Feet per second (ft/s) – Commonly used in engineering, construction, and American scientific applications.
How to Use Our Speed Calculator
Our calculator simplifies speed calculations by allowing you to find any of the three variables in the speed equation:
Calculate Speed: Enter distance and time to find the speed at which something is traveling. Perfect for determining average speed on a journey.
Calculate Distance: Enter speed and time to find how far something travels. Useful for trip planning and understanding travel distances.
Calculate Time: Enter speed and distance to find how long it takes to cover a distance. Essential for travel time estimation and event planning.
Simply fill in any two values with your preferred units, and the calculator will compute the third instantly. The calculator automatically handles unit conversions across 12+ different speed units.
Examples of Different Speeds:
Understanding real-world speed examples helps put these concepts into perspective. Here’s a comprehensive table of common speeds in different measurement units:
| Speed Type | m/s | km/h | mph | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average walking speed | 1.45 | 3.1 | — | Typical adult walking pace on flat ground |
| Peak human running speed | 12.4 | 44.7 | 27.8 | Olympic sprinter at maximum velocity |
| Peak cheetah running speed | 33.5 | 120.7 | 75 | Fastest land animal on Earth |
| Average orbital speed of Earth | 29,783 | 107,218 | 66,623 | Earth’s speed around the Sun |
| Average orbital speed of the Sun | 251,000 | 904,000 | 561,000 | Sun’s movement through the galaxy |
| Speed of sound in air (20°C, sea level) | 343 | 1,235 | 768 | Also known as Mach 1 |
| Speed of light in vacuum | 299,792,458 | 1,079,252,848 | 670,616,629 | The ultimate speed limit in the universe |
Speed Reference Guide
Everyday Speeds:
- Walking: ~5 km/h (3.1 mph)
- Cycling: ~20 km/h (12.4 mph)
- Car in city: ~40-60 km/h (25-37 mph)
- Highway driving: ~100-120 km/h (62-75 mph)
Athletic Speeds:
- Jogging: ~8-10 km/h (5-6 mph)
- Running: ~12-15 km/h (7-9 mph)
- Olympic sprinting: ~40-45 km/h (25-28 mph)
- Marathon pace: ~12-20 km/h (7-12 mph)
Transportation Speeds:
- Commercial jet: ~900 km/h (560 mph)
- High-speed train: ~300-350 km/h (186-217 mph)
- Bullet train: ~320 km/h (200 mph)
- Formula 1 racing: ~300-350 km/h (186-217 mph)
Extreme Speeds:
- Speed of sound: ~1,235 km/h (768 mph)
- Supersonic flight (Mach 2): ~2,470 km/h (1,536 mph)
- Speed of light: ~1,079 million km/h (670 million mph)
Real-World Speed Calculation Examples
Understanding speed calculations through practical examples helps clarify the concept:
- Running/Walking Pace: A person walking at 5 km/h covers exactly 5 kilometers in 1 hour. A runner at 12 km/h completes a 10-kilometer race in approximately 50 minutes.
- Driving on Highways: A car traveling at 100 km/h covers 250 kilometers in 2.5 hours. This makes it easy to estimate travel times for road trips.
- Professional Sports: Elite marathon runners maintain average speeds around 20 km/h (12.4 mph). Olympic sprinters reach speeds exceeding 37 km/h in short bursts.
- Aviation: Commercial aircraft cruise at approximately 900 km/h (560 mph), allowing transatlantic flights to complete in roughly 6-7 hours.
- Cycling: Professional cyclists can maintain speeds of 40-50 km/h during races, while casual riders average 15-20 km/h.
- Earth’s Motion: Our planet travels around the sun at approximately 107,218 km/h, yet we don’t feel this motion due to constant velocity.
Related Calculators:
Speed is a scalar quantity that only considers magnitude (how fast something moves), while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both magnitude and direction. For example: Speed = 60 km/h, but Velocity = 60 km/h heading north. This distinction is important in physics and navigation.
Average speed is calculated by dividing the total distance traveled by the total time taken. For a trip covering 300 km in 5 hours, average speed equals 300 ÷ 5 = 60 km/h. Our calculator performs this automatically.
Yes! Our advanced speed converter tool allows you to instantly convert between km/h, mph, m/s, knots, Mach, speed of light, and several other units. Simply select your units and enter the value. Use our conversion table above for manual calculations.
Calculate the total distance covered across all segments and the total time taken, then use our calculator for the overall average speed. For example, if you travel 100 km in 1 hour, then 150 km in 2 hours, your total distance is 250 km in 3 hours = 83.3 km/h average.
Yes, our calculator works accurately for any constant speed calculation, from pedestrian speeds (1-5 km/h) to astronomical speeds approaching light speed (299,792,458 m/s).
The calculator automatically converts all input values to base SI units (meters and seconds) for accurate calculation, then converts the result back to your desired output unit. This ensures maximum precision across all unit types.
Absolutely. The calculator accepts decimal numbers for all inputs, and you can enter partial hours, minutes, and seconds for precise time calculations.
Speed calculations are used in driving to estimate travel times, in running to track fitness progress, in cooking with speed-related recipes, in flight planning for aviation, in maritime navigation, and in numerous scientific and engineering applications.
Multiply the mph value by 1.609. For example, 60 mph × 1.609 = 96.54 km/h. Our calculator does this automatically.
Multiply the km/h value by 0.621. For example, 100 km/h × 0.621 = 62.1 mph. Our calculator makes this instant.