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 (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.
| Knots | Metres per second |
|---|---|
0
knot
|
0
m/s
|
1
knot
|
0.514444
m/s
|
2
knot
|
1.02889
m/s
|
3
knot
|
1.54333
m/s
|
4
knot
|
2.05778
m/s
|
5
knot
|
2.57222
m/s
|
6
knot
|
3.08667
m/s
|
7
knot
|
3.60111
m/s
|
8
knot
|
4.11555
m/s
|
9
knot
|
4.63
m/s
|
10
knot
|
5.14444
m/s
|
11
knot
|
5.65889
m/s
|
12
knot
|
6.17333
m/s
|
13
knot
|
6.68778
m/s
|
14
knot
|
7.20222
m/s
|
15
knot
|
7.71666
m/s
|
16
knot
|
8.23111
m/s
|
17
knot
|
8.74555
m/s
|
18
knot
|
9.26
m/s
|
19
knot
|
9.77444
m/s
|
20
knot
|
10.28888
m/s
|
21
knot
|
10.80333
m/s
|
22
knot
|
11.31777
m/s
|
23
knot
|
11.83222
m/s
|
24
knot
|
12.34666
m/s
|
25
knot
|
12.86111
m/s
|
26
knot
|
13.37555
m/s
|
27
knot
|
13.89
m/s
|
28
knot
|
14.40444
m/s
|
29
knot
|
14.91888
m/s
|
30
knot
|
15.43333
m/s
|
31
knot
|
15.94777
m/s
|
32
knot
|
16.46222
m/s
|
33
knot
|
16.97666
m/s
|
34
knot
|
17.4911
m/s
|
35
knot
|
18.00555
m/s
|
36
knot
|
18.52
m/s
|
37
knot
|
19.03444
m/s
|
38
knot
|
19.54888
m/s
|
39
knot
|
20.06333
m/s
|
40
knot
|
20.57777
m/s
|
41
knot
|
21.09221
m/s
|
42
knot
|
21.60666
m/s
|
43
knot
|
22.1211
m/s
|
44
knot
|
22.63555
m/s
|
45
knot
|
23.15
m/s
|
46
knot
|
23.66444
m/s
|
47
knot
|
24.17888
m/s
|
48
knot
|
24.69332
m/s
|
49
knot
|
25.20777
m/s
|
50
knot
|
25.72221
m/s
|
51
knot
|
26.23666
m/s
|
52
knot
|
26.7511
m/s
|
53
knot
|
27.26554
m/s
|
54
knot
|
27.77999
m/s
|
55
knot
|
28.29443
m/s
|
56
knot
|
28.80888
m/s
|
57
knot
|
29.32332
m/s
|
58
knot
|
29.83777
m/s
|
59
knot
|
30.35221
m/s
|
60
knot
|
30.86665
m/s
|
61
knot
|
31.3811
m/s
|
62
knot
|
31.89554
m/s
|
63
knot
|
32.40999
m/s
|
64
knot
|
32.92443
m/s
|
65
knot
|
33.43888
m/s
|
66
knot
|
33.95332
m/s
|
67
knot
|
34.46776
m/s
|
68
knot
|
34.98221
m/s
|
69
knot
|
35.49665
m/s
|
70
knot
|
36.0111
m/s
|
71
knot
|
36.52554
m/s
|
72
knot
|
37.03999
m/s
|
73
knot
|
37.55443
m/s
|
74
knot
|
38.06887
m/s
|
75
knot
|
38.58332
m/s
|
76
knot
|
39.09776
m/s
|
77
knot
|
39.61221
m/s
|
78
knot
|
40.12665
m/s
|
79
knot
|
40.6411
m/s
|
80
knot
|
41.15554
m/s
|
81
knot
|
41.66998
m/s
|
82
knot
|
42.18443
m/s
|
83
knot
|
42.69887
m/s
|
84
knot
|
43.21332
m/s
|
85
knot
|
43.72776
m/s
|
86
knot
|
44.2422
m/s
|
87
knot
|
44.75665
m/s
|
88
knot
|
45.27109
m/s
|
89
knot
|
45.78554
m/s
|
90
knot
|
46.3
m/s
|
91
knot
|
46.81443
m/s
|
92
knot
|
47.32887
m/s
|
93
knot
|
47.84331
m/s
|
94
knot
|
48.35776
m/s
|
95
knot
|
48.8722
m/s
|
96
knot
|
49.38665
m/s
|
97
knot
|
49.90109
m/s
|
98
knot
|
50.41554
m/s
|
99
knot
|
50.92998
m/s
|
100
knot
|
51.44442
m/s
|
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