Knots to Speed of Light Conversion (kn to c)

Knots to Speed of Light Converter

Enter the speed in knots below to convert it to speed of light.

Result in Speed of Light:

1 kn = 1.716E-9 c

Hint: use a scientific notation calculator to convert E notation to decimal

How to Convert Knots to Speed of Light

To convert a measurement in knots to a measurement in speed of light, multiply the speed by the following conversion ratio: 1.716E-9 speed of light/knot.

Since one knot is equal to 1.716E-9 speed of light, you can use this simple formula to convert:

speed of light = knots × 1.716E-9

The speed in speed of light is equal to the speed in knots multiplied by 1.716E-9.

For example, here's how to convert 500,000,000 knots to speed of light using the formula above.

speed of light = (500,000,000 kn × 1.716E-9) = 0.858001 c

Knots and speed of light are both units used to measure speed. 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 Is the Speed of Light?

The speed of light is equal to exactly 299,792,458 meters per second, or 670,616,629 miles per hour. The definition of the speed of light is actually derived from the most recent 1983 international definition of the meter.^[2]

Speed of light can be abbreviated as c; for example, 1 speed of light can be written as 1 c.

Learn more about the speed of light.

Knot to Speed of Light Conversion Table

Table showing various knot measurements converted to speed of light.
Knots	Speed Of Light
1 kn	0.000000001716 c
2 kn	0.000000003432 c
3 kn	0.000000005148 c
4 kn	0.000000006864 c
5 kn	0.00000000858 c
6 kn	0.000000010296 c
7 kn	0.000000012012 c
8 kn	0.000000013728 c
9 kn	0.000000015444 c
10 kn	0.00000001716 c
100 kn	0.0000001716 c
1,000 kn	0.000001716 c
10,000 kn	0.00001716 c
100,000 kn	0.000172 c
1,000,000 kn	0.001716 c
10,000,000 kn	0.01716 c
100,000,000 kn	0.1716 c
1,000,000,000 kn	1.716 c

Table showing various knot measurements converted to speed of light.

Knots

Speed Of Light

1 kn

0.000000001716 c

2 kn

0.000000003432 c

3 kn

0.000000005148 c

4 kn

0.000000006864 c

5 kn

0.00000000858 c

6 kn

0.000000010296 c

7 kn

0.000000012012 c

8 kn

0.000000013728 c

9 kn

0.000000015444 c

10 kn

0.00000001716 c

100 kn

0.0000001716 c

1,000 kn

0.000001716 c

10,000 kn

0.00001716 c

100,000 kn

0.000172 c

1,000,000 kn

0.001716 c

10,000,000 kn

0.01716 c

100,000,000 kn

0.1716 c

1,000,000,000 kn

1.716 c

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, SI Redefinition: Meter, https://www.nist.gov/si-redefinition/meter