# Metre per second

The metre per second (American English: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector quantity which specifies both magnitude and a specific direction), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds.

The SI unit symbols are m·s−1, m s−1, m/s, or m/s,[1] sometimes (unofficially) abbreviated as mps. Where metres per second are several orders of magnitude too slow to be convenient, such as in astronomical measurements, velocities may be given in kilometres per second, where 1 km/s is 1000 metres per second, sometimes unofficially abbreviated as "kps".

Metre per second
Unit systemSI
Unit ofspeed
Symbolm/s or mps
Conversions
1 m/s in ...... is equal to ...
km/h   3.6
mph   2.2369
knot   1.9438
ft/s   3.2808

## Conversions

1 m/s is equivalent to:

= 3.6 km/h (exactly)[2]
≈ 3.2808 feet per second (approximately)[3]
≈ 2.2369 miles per hour (approximately)[4]
≈ 1.9438 knots (approximately)[5]

1 foot per second = 0.3048 m/s (exactly)[6]

1 mile per hour = 0.44704 m/s (exactly)[7]

km/h = 0.27 m/s (exactly)[8]

1 kilometre per second is equivalent to:

≈ 0.6213 miles per second (approximately)[9]
≈ 2237 miles per hour (approximately)[10]

## Relation to other measures

The benz, named in honour of Karl Benz, has been proposed as a name for one metre per second.[11] Although it has seen some support as a practical unit,[12] primarily from German sources,[11] it was rejected as the SI unit of velocity[13] and has not seen widespread use or acceptance.[14]

## References

1. ^ SI brochure, Section 5.1
2. ^ CDX Automotive (2013). South African Automotive Light Vehicle Level 3. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 478. ISBN 1449697852.
3. ^ Dinçer, İbrahim; Rosen, Marc A. (2007). EXERGY: Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p. 444. ISBN 9780080531359. OCLC 228148217.
4. ^ Jazar, Reza N. (2017). Vehicle Dynamics: Theory and Application (3. ed.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. p. 957. ISBN 9783319534411. OCLC 988750637.
5. ^ Collinson, R.P.G. (2013). Introduction to Avionics Systems (2. ed.). Boston: Springer Science & Business Media. p. 16. ISBN 9781441974662. OCLC 861706692.
6. ^ Potter, Merle C; Wiggert, David C; Ramadan, Bassem H. (2016). Mechanics of Fluids, SI Edition (5. ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 722. ISBN 1305887700.
7. ^ Das, Braja M.; Kassimali, Aslam; Sami, Sedat (2010). Mechanics for Engineers: Statics. Ft. Lauderdale, FL: J. Ross Publishing. p. 556. ISBN 9781604270297. OCLC 419827343.
8. ^ Wright, Gus (2015). Fundamentals of medium/heavy duty diesel engines. Burlington, Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 1349. ISBN 9781284067057. OCLC 927104266.
9. ^ New Tritium Production Reactor Capacity Facilities, Siting, Construction and Operation: Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 4. United States. Dept. of Energy. 1991. p. 50.CS1 maint: others (link)
10. ^ Hecht, Eugene (1999). Physique. Paris, France: De Boeck Superieur. p. 1263. ISBN 2744500186. OCLC 41495989.
11. ^ a b Klein HA. (2011). The Science of Measurement: A Historical Survey. Dover Publications. p. 695. ISBN 978-0486258393.
12. ^ Heijungs R. (2005). "On the Use of Units in LCA". The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 10 (3): 174. doi:10.1065/lca2005.02.199.
13. ^ Cardarelli F. (2004). Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures: Their SI Equivalences and Origins. Transl. by MJ Shields. (3rd revised ed.). Springer. p. 217. ISBN 978-1852336820.
14. ^ Dresner S. (1974). Units of Measurement: An Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Units Both Scientific and Popular and the Quantities They Measure. Harvey Miller and Medcalf. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-85602-036-0.