Speed Calculator
Input Parameters
About Speed Calculator
A speed calculator is a tool used to calculate speed, distance, or time based on the fundamental relationship between these three quantities: speed = distance / time.
This calculator allows you to input any two parameters and automatically calculates the third, while also providing conversions between units.
Speed is measured as distance divided by time, with common units including meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), and miles per hour (mph). This calculator supports conversions between multiple speed, distance, and time units.
For example, if a car travels 120 kilometers in 2 hours, its average speed is 60 kilometers per hour. Similarly, if you know the speed and time, you can calculate the distance traveled.
The relationship between speed, distance, and time can be expressed using the following formulas:
Formula to Calculate Speed
Where: v = speed, d = distance, t = time. For example, if the distance is 100 meters and the time is 20 seconds, then speed = 100 ÷ 20 = 5 meters per second.
Formula to Calculate Distance
Where: d = distance, v = speed, t = time. For example, if the speed is 60 km/h and the time is 2.5 hours, then distance = 60 × 2.5 = 150 kilometers.
Formula to Calculate Time
Where: t = time, d = distance, v = speed. For example, if the distance is 300 kilometers and the speed is 75 km/h, then time = 300 ÷ 75 = 4 hours.
Unit Conversion
When performing speed calculations, it's important to ensure consistent units. Here are common unit conversion relationships:
Speed Unit Conversions
- 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h
- 1 m/s ≈ 2.237 mph
- 1 m/s ≈ 3.281 ft/s
- 1 m/s ≈ 1.944 knots
- 1 km/h ≈ 0.278 m/s
- 1 mph ≈ 0.447 m/s
Distance Unit Conversions
- 1 m = 0.001 km = 0.000621 mi = 3.281 ft = 1.094 yd
- 1 km = 1000 m = 0.621 mi = 3281 ft = 1094 yd
- 1 mi = 1609.34 m = 1.60934 km = 5280 ft = 1760 yd
- 1 ft = 0.3048 m = 0.0003048 km = 0.000189 mi = 0.333 yd
Time Unit Conversions
- 1 s = 0.0167 min = 0.000278 h = 0.0000116 day
- 1 min = 60 s = 0.0167 h = 0.000694 day
- 1 h = 3600 s = 60 min = 0.0417 day
- 1 day = 86400 s = 1440 min = 24 h
Using this speed calculator is straightforward and requires just a few steps:
- Select the calculation mode: Calculate Speed, Calculate Distance, or Calculate Time
- Enter the two known values (depending on your calculation mode)
- Select appropriate units for each input value
- Click the 'Calculate' button to get your result
- View the calculated result and its conversions in different units
Tip: You can use the 'Advanced Options' to set the number of decimal places for more precise or simplified display of results.
Speed calculations have numerous applications in daily life and various professional fields:
Transportation & Travel
Calculating average vehicle speeds, travel times, navigation planning, fuel efficiency analysis, and more.
Physics & Engineering
Studying object motion, velocity changes, kinetic energy calculations, fluid dynamics analysis, and more.
Sports & Fitness
Measuring athlete performance, running pace, swimming speed, cycling data analysis, and more.
Speed Examples
| Mode of Transport | Average Speed | Distance per Hour |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | 5 km/h | 5 km |
| Bicycling | 15-20 km/h | 15-20 km |
| Car | 60-100 km/h | 60-100 km |
| Airplane | 800-950 km/h | 800-950 km |
How do I calculate average speed?
Average speed is calculated by dividing the total distance by the total time. For example, if your total journey is 200 kilometers and it takes 4 hours, your average speed is 50 km/h. Average speed doesn't consider intermediate speed variations.
What's the difference between speed, velocity, and speed vector?
Speed is a scalar quantity having only magnitude. Velocity is a vector quantity having both magnitude and direction. In everyday usage, speed often refers to the rate, but in physics, this distinction is important.
Why might my calculated speed differ from what I perceive?
Calculated speed is an average, while in actual travel, speed may constantly vary. Also, external factors like wind resistance, road conditions, and traffic can affect perceived speed.
How do I convert speed between different unit systems?
Use conversion factors: 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h ≈ 2.237 mph. For example, to convert 20 m/s to km/h, calculate: 20 × 3.6 = 72 km/h.
What is relative speed?
Relative speed is the speed of one object as observed from another object. For example, if two cars travel at 60 km/h in opposite directions, their relative speed is 120 km/h; if they travel in the same direction at 60 km/h and 40 km/h, their relative speed is 20 km/h.