Convert meters per second to miles per second easily.
1 m÷s x 0.000621371 = 0.000621371 mi/s
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Ever wondered how fast a supersonic jet travels in miles per second? Or needed to compare scientific data from different countries? Converting meters per second to miles per second bridges the gap between metric precision and imperial practicality. Whether you're a student analyzing physics problems or an engineer working on international projects, this conversion pops up more often than you'd think. Let's break it down without the jargon.
Unit definitions
What is a meter per second (m/s)?
Meters per second measures speed as the number of meters traveled in one second. It's the standard speed unit in the International System of Units (SI). You'll see it everywhere from weather reports (wind speeds) to physics textbooks. One m/s equals exactly 3.6 km/h or 2.23694 mph. The meter itself was redefined in 1983 based on the speed of light, making it one of the most precisely defined units.
What is a mile per second (mi/s)?
Miles per second quantifies how many statute miles (5,280 feet) are covered each second. While rarely used in daily life (even jets don't go that fast), it appears in aerospace contexts. For perspective, Earth orbits the sun at about 18.5 mi/s. The mile originated from Roman "mille passus" (1,000 paces), but today's international mile is standardized as 1,609.344 meters.
Conversion formula
The magic number here is 0.000621371. To convert m/s to mi/s:
mi/s = m/s × 0.000621371
For the reverse (mi/s to m/s):
m/s = mi/s ÷ 0.000621371
Example calculations
- Commercial airliner at 250 m/s
250 m/s × 0.000621371 = 0.15534275 mi/s
That's roughly 1/6th of a mile every second. - Space shuttle during re-entry (7,800 m/s)
7,800 × 0.000621371 = 4.8466938 mi/s
Nearly five miles covered every second. Mind-blowing, right?
Conversion tables
Meters per second to miles per second
| m/s | mi/s |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.000621371 |
| 10 | 0.00621371 |
| 50 | 0.03106855 |
| 100 | 0.0621371 |
| 500 | 0.3106855 |
| 1,000 | 0.621371 |
Miles per second to meters per second
| mi/s | m/s |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 160.9344 |
| 0.5 | 804.672 |
| 1 | 1,609.344 |
| 2 | 3,218.688 |
| 5 | 8,046.72 |
| 10 | 16,093.44 |
From ancient Rome to space exploration
The story of these units is a tale of two measurement systems. The meter, born during the French Revolution, was designed to be universal. Meanwhile, the mile carried over from Roman roads to British imperialism. By 1959, the international mile standardized its length globally, easing conversions like ours today. You might spot the mile persisting in aviation charts and NASA missions, while m/s dominates scientific papers.. It's fascinating how historical choices still shape our calculations.
Interesting facts
- Speed of sound at sea level is 343 m/s, which converts to 0.213 mi/s. Supersonic jets aim for at least 0.25 mi/s.
- Earth's rotation at the equator moves at roughly 460 m/s, or 0.286 mi/s. You're spinning faster than a Formula 1 car!
- New Horizons probe left Earth at 16.26 km/s (10.1 mi/s), making it one of our fastest spacecraft.
- Usain Bolt's record 100m dash: 10.44 m/s (0.0065 mi/s). Even the fastest human is slow in these units.
- Light speed is 299,792,458 m/s. Converted, that's 186,282 mi/s. Still impossible for any material object.
FAQ
This conversion is useful in aerospace and physics where extreme speeds are measured in miles per second, like rocket velocities.
Our tool uses the exact conversion factor (1 meter = 0.000621371 miles), ensuring precision up to 9 decimal places.
Yes, simply divide the miles per second value by 0.000621371 to get meters per second.
No, it's primarily used in the US and UK contexts. Most countries use kilometers per second in scientific work.
NASA's Parker Solar Probe reached 0.0003 mi/s (147 km/s) in 2021, about 0.091 mi/s when converted.