Knots to Meters per Second Conversion (kn to m/s)

Knots to Meters per Second Converter

Enter the speed in knots below to convert it to meters per second.

Result in Meters per Second:

1 kn = 0.514444 m/s

How to Convert Knots to Meters per Second

To convert a measurement in knots to a measurement in meters per second, multiply the speed by the following conversion ratio: 0.514444 meters per second/knot.

Since one knot is equal to 0.514444 meters per second, you can use this simple formula to convert:

meters per second = knots × 0.514444

The speed in meters per second is equal to the speed in knots multiplied by 0.514444.

For example, here's how to convert 5 knots to meters per second using the formula above.

meters per second = (5 kn × 0.514444) = 2.572222 m/s

Knots and meters per second are both units used to measure speed. Calculate speed in knots or meters per second using our speed calculator or keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.

What Is a Knot?

One knot is equal to a speed of one nautical mile per hour,^[1] or one minute of latitude per hour.

Knots can be abbreviated as kn, and are also sometimes abbreviated as kt. For example, 1 knot can be written as 1 kn or 1 kt.

Learn more about knots.

What Are Meters per Second?

Meters per second are a measurement of speed expressing the distance traveled in meters in one second.

The meter per second, or metre per second, is the SI derived unit for speed in the metric system. Meters per second can be abbreviated as m/s, and are also sometimes abbreviated as m/sec. For example, 1 meter per second can be written as 1 m/s or 1 m/sec.

In the expressions of units, the slash, or solidus (/), is used to express a change in one or more units relative to a change in one or more other units.^[2] For example, m/s is expressing a change in length or distance relative to a change in time.

Meters per second can be expressed using the formula:
v_m/s = d_m / t_sec

The velocity in meters per second is equal to the distance in meters divided by time in seconds.

Learn more about meters per second.

Knot to Meter per Second Conversion Table

Table showing various knot measurements converted to meters per second.
Knots	Meters Per Second
1 kn	0.514444 m/s
2 kn	1.0289 m/s
3 kn	1.5433 m/s
4 kn	2.0578 m/s
5 kn	2.5722 m/s
6 kn	3.0867 m/s
7 kn	3.6011 m/s
8 kn	4.1156 m/s
9 kn	4.63 m/s
10 kn	5.1444 m/s
11 kn	5.6589 m/s
12 kn	6.1733 m/s
13 kn	6.6878 m/s
14 kn	7.2022 m/s
15 kn	7.7167 m/s
16 kn	8.2311 m/s
17 kn	8.7456 m/s
18 kn	9.26 m/s
19 kn	9.7744 m/s
20 kn	10.29 m/s
21 kn	10.8 m/s
22 kn	11.32 m/s
23 kn	11.83 m/s
24 kn	12.35 m/s
25 kn	12.86 m/s
26 kn	13.38 m/s
27 kn	13.89 m/s
28 kn	14.4 m/s
29 kn	14.92 m/s
30 kn	15.43 m/s
31 kn	15.95 m/s
32 kn	16.46 m/s
33 kn	16.98 m/s
34 kn	17.49 m/s
35 kn	18.01 m/s
36 kn	18.52 m/s
37 kn	19.03 m/s
38 kn	19.55 m/s
39 kn	20.06 m/s
40 kn	20.58 m/s

Table showing various knot measurements converted to meters per second.

Knots

Meters Per Second

1 kn

0.514444 m/s

2 kn

1.0289 m/s

3 kn

1.5433 m/s

4 kn

2.0578 m/s

5 kn

2.5722 m/s

6 kn

3.0867 m/s

7 kn

3.6011 m/s

8 kn

4.1156 m/s

9 kn

4.63 m/s

10 kn

5.1444 m/s

11 kn

5.6589 m/s

12 kn

6.1733 m/s

13 kn

6.6878 m/s

14 kn

7.2022 m/s

15 kn

7.7167 m/s

16 kn

8.2311 m/s

17 kn

8.7456 m/s

18 kn

9.26 m/s

19 kn

9.7744 m/s

20 kn

10.29 m/s

21 kn

10.8 m/s

22 kn

11.32 m/s

23 kn

11.83 m/s

24 kn

12.35 m/s

25 kn

12.86 m/s

26 kn

13.38 m/s

27 kn

13.89 m/s

28 kn

14.4 m/s

29 kn

14.92 m/s

30 kn

15.43 m/s

31 kn

15.95 m/s

32 kn

16.46 m/s

33 kn

16.98 m/s

34 kn

17.49 m/s

35 kn

18.01 m/s

36 kn

18.52 m/s

37 kn

19.03 m/s

38 kn

19.55 m/s

39 kn

20.06 m/s

40 kn

20.58 m/s

References

NASA, Knots Versus Miles per Hour, https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/WindTunnel/Activities/knots_vs_mph.html
National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST Guide to the SI, Chapter 6: Rules and Style Conventions for Printing and Using Units, https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811/nist-guide-si-chapter-6-rules-and-style-conventions-printing-and-using