km/h to m/s Calculator
km/h
Meters per second:
Miles per hour:
Feet per second:
Calculation:
Use this calculator to convert kilometers per hour (km/h) to meters per second (m/s). Type the speed and you get the result in m/s, plus the same speed in miles per hour (mph) and in feet per second (ft/s).
Below you will find the formula (divide by 3.6) and why it works, worked examples, charts for km/h to m/s and m/s to km/h, and a few reference speeds.
How to use the km/h to m/s calculator?
Step 1: Type the speed in km/h in the box. Decimals work with a point or a comma, for example 72.5 or 72,5. A negative value means the opposite direction and the result keeps the sign.
Step 2: Press Calculate or the Enter key.
Step 3: The result in meters per second appears on the right. Below it you will see the same speed in miles per hour and in feet per second.
Step 4: The Calculation box shows the operations with your number.
Formula to convert km/h to m/s
To convert km/h to m/s, divide the speed by 3.6:
| v(m/s) = v(km/h) ÷ 3.6 |
Why 3.6? A kilometer is 1000 meters and an hour is 3600 seconds, so 1 km/h = 1000 m ÷ 3600 s = 1 ÷ 3.6 m/s, which is 0.2778 m/s. The factor is exact.
To go from m/s to km/h, multiply by 3.6:
| v(km/h) = v(m/s) × 3.6 |
For miles per hour we use 1 mile = 1609.344 m (an exact value): v(mph) = v(km/h) ÷ 1.609344. For feet per second we use 1 foot = 0.3048 m (also exact), which gives v(ft/s) = v(km/h) ÷ 1.09728.
For a quick mental estimate: 36 km/h is exactly 10 m/s. So 72 km/h is 20 m/s and 108 km/h is 30 m/s.
km/h to m/s examples
Example 1: Convert 90 km/h to m/s
We divide by 3.6:
v(m/s) = 90 ÷ 3.6 = 25 m/s
A speed of 90 km/h equals 25 m/s.
Example 2: 100 km/h in m/s and in mph
We divide by 3.6 for the m/s:
v(m/s) = 100 ÷ 3.6 ≈ 27.78 m/s
For miles per hour we divide by 1.609344: 100 ÷ 1.609344 ≈ 62.14 mph. In feet per second it is 91.13 ft/s.
Example 3: How far does a car go at 72 km/h in 5 seconds?
First we convert the speed to m/s, the unit that the uniform motion formula needs (d = v × t):
v(m/s) = 72 ÷ 3.6 = 20 m/s
With 20 m/s, the distance is 20 × 5 = 100 m.
Example 4: Convert 15 m/s to km/h
Now we multiply by 3.6:
v(km/h) = 15 × 3.6 = 54 km/h
A speed of 15 m/s equals 54 km/h.
km/h to m/s chart
| km/h | m/s | mph | ft/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km/h | 0.2778 m/s | 0.6214 mph | 0.9113 ft/s |
| 5 km/h | 1.389 m/s | 3.107 mph | 4.557 ft/s |
| 10 km/h | 2.778 m/s | 6.214 mph | 9.113 ft/s |
| 20 km/h | 5.556 m/s | 12.43 mph | 18.23 ft/s |
| 30 km/h | 8.333 m/s | 18.64 mph | 27.34 ft/s |
| 36 km/h | 10 m/s | 22.37 mph | 32.81 ft/s |
| 40 km/h | 11.11 m/s | 24.85 mph | 36.45 ft/s |
| 50 km/h | 13.89 m/s | 31.07 mph | 45.57 ft/s |
| 60 km/h | 16.67 m/s | 37.28 mph | 54.68 ft/s |
| 70 km/h | 19.44 m/s | 43.5 mph | 63.79 ft/s |
| 72 km/h | 20 m/s | 44.74 mph | 65.62 ft/s |
| 80 km/h | 22.22 m/s | 49.71 mph | 72.91 ft/s |
| 90 km/h | 25 m/s | 55.92 mph | 82.02 ft/s |
| 100 km/h | 27.78 m/s | 62.14 mph | 91.13 ft/s |
| 110 km/h | 30.56 m/s | 68.35 mph | 100.25 ft/s |
| 120 km/h | 33.33 m/s | 74.56 mph | 109.36 ft/s |
| 130 km/h | 36.11 m/s | 80.78 mph | 118.47 ft/s |
| 150 km/h | 41.67 m/s | 93.21 mph | 136.7 ft/s |
| 200 km/h | 55.56 m/s | 124.27 mph | 182.27 ft/s |
m/s to km/h chart
| m/s | km/h |
|---|---|
| 1 m/s | 3.6 km/h |
| 2 m/s | 7.2 km/h |
| 3 m/s | 10.8 km/h |
| 5 m/s | 18 km/h |
| 10 m/s | 36 km/h |
| 15 m/s | 54 km/h |
| 20 m/s | 72 km/h |
| 25 m/s | 90 km/h |
| 30 m/s | 108 km/h |
| 40 m/s | 144 km/h |
| 50 m/s | 180 km/h |
| 100 m/s | 360 km/h |
Reference speeds
Typical approximate values, to get a feel for each magnitude.
| Example | km/h | m/s |
|---|---|---|
| Walking at a normal pace | 5 km/h | 1.389 m/s |
| Cyclist at a moderate pace | 20 km/h | 5.556 m/s |
| Car in the city | 50 km/h | 13.89 m/s |
| Car on the highway | 100 km/h | 27.78 m/s |
| High-speed train | 300 km/h | 83.33 m/s |
| Airliner cruising | 900 km/h | 250 m/s |
Frequently asked questions
How do you convert km/h to m/s?
Divide the km/h by 3.6. For example, 54 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 15 m/s.
Why do you divide by 3.6?
Because 1 km is 1000 m and 1 h is 3600 s. The ratio 1000 ÷ 3600 equals 1 ÷ 3.6, so dividing by 3.6 makes both unit changes at once.
How do I convert m/s to km/h?
Multiply the m/s by 3.6. For example, 10 m/s × 3.6 = 36 km/h.
How many miles per hour is 100 km/h?
100 km/h is 62.14 mph. One mile per hour is exactly 1.609344 km/h.
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Speed is only how fast you move, and velocity also includes the direction of motion. In practice, a car speedometer shows speed. We explain it in velocity vs speed in physics.
Learn more
- Average velocity in physics with examples
- Velocity vs speed in physics
- Exercises on uniform linear motion
- Velocity vs time graph in physics
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