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mile per hour to meter per second – How to convert mph to m/s
When measuring speed, mile per hour (mph) is familiar in the U.S. and U.K., while meter per second (m/s) is the SI unit used in science and engineering worldwide. Converting mile per hour to meter per second helps connect everyday driving speeds with scientific calculations, making this a practical and frequently used conversion.
What is a mile per hour (mph)?
A mile per hour measures the distance traveled in miles per hour. From car speedometers in America to weather reports in Britain, mph is part of daily life.
What is a meter per second (m/s)?
A meter per second represents how many meters are covered every second. It’s the standard speed unit in physics, allowing precision in equations, experiments, and technical measurements.
How to convert mile per hour to meter per second
Meter per second (m/s) = Mile per hour (mph) × 0.447
Example:Meter per second = 60 mph × 0.447 = 26.82 m/s
Need a faster way? The Speed Converter gives instant mph to m/s conversions. For other calculations, explore Conversion Tools.
Do you know?
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About mile per hour: The fastest speed recorded by a human-driven car on land is 763 mph, achieved by the ThrustSSC in 1997. That’s about 341 m/s — breaking the sound barrier.
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About meter per second: A professional soccer ball strike can reach 35 m/s, which equals about 78 mph — fast enough to outpace many motorcycles in city traffic.
When NASA Needed Both Units
In 1999, NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter mission ended in failure because of a conversion error between mph and m/s (along with other unit mismatches). One engineering team used pound-seconds, while another used newton-seconds, but the confusion extended to velocity conversions, too. The spacecraft entered Mars’ atmosphere at the wrong trajectory and was destroyed.
This infamous incident highlights how vital it is to switch correctly between units like mile per hour and meter per second. A small conversion oversight can lead to massive consequences — in this case, a $125 million mission.
