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Metres per second to kilometres per hour

Multiply metres per second by 3.6 to get kilometres per hour.

1 m/s = 3.6 km/hNIST HB 44
m/s
54km/h

15 m/s = 54 km/h

How to convert metres per second to kilometres per hour

The kilometre per hour is kilometres travelled per hour, the metric speed unit for vehicles. The metre per second is the SI unit of speed, one metre travelled per second.

Worked example — 15 m/s: 15 × 3.6 = 54 km/h.

Metres per second to kilometres per hour table

Common conversions. The reverse table is on kilometres per hour to metres per second.
Metres per secondKilometres per hour
1 m/s3.6 km/h
2 m/s7.2 km/h
5 m/s18 km/h
10 m/s36 km/h
15 m/s54 km/h
20 m/s72 km/h
25 m/s90 km/h
30 m/s108 km/h
50 m/s180 km/h

Reverse and related

About metres per second and kilometres per hour

Metre per second (m/s)

1 m/s = 3.6 km/h

Definition. The SI unit of speed, one metre travelled per second

History and origin

The metre per second is the coherent SI unit of speed, built directly from the base units of length and time. It is the natural choice wherever physics equations are involved.

Current use

Metres per second are used in science and engineering, and to report wind speed in meteorology.

Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (Tables of Equivalents — international nautical mile); speeds derived from the exact mile, foot and hour

Kilometre per hour (km/h)

1 km/h = 0.277778 m/s

Definition. Kilometres travelled per hour, the metric speed unit for vehicles

History and origin

The kilometre per hour combines the metric kilometre with the hour, and became the standard speed unit as countries adopted the metric system and built road networks. It equals exactly one thousand metres per hour.

Current use

Kilometres per hour is the speed unit on car speedometers and road signs across most of the world.

Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (Tables of Equivalents — international nautical mile); speeds derived from the exact mile, foot and hour

Where people use this

Metres per second: physics, wind speed. Kilometres per hour: vehicle speed outside the US, speed limits. 10 m/s is exactly 36 km/h.

How we know this is right
The factor is fixed by the standards that define the units, not chosen — so it is exact, not a measurement:
1 km/h = 0.2777777778 m/s, so 1 m/s = 1 ÷ 0.2777777778 = 3.6 km/h.

Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.

Both units are defined in NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (Tables of Equivalents — international nautical mile); speeds derived from the exact mile, foot and hour.

Questions people ask

How many km/h is 10 m/s?

10 m/s is exactly 36 km/h.

How do I convert m/s to km/h?

Multiply by 3.6; 25 m/s is 90 km/h.

How many km/h is 5 m/s?

5 m/s is 18 km/h.

All metre per second conversions