Knot (kn)
A knot is one nautical mile per hour. Ships, aircraft and marine weather use knots because a nautical mile is one minute of latitude.
Symbol: kn
Quantity: speed (distance per time)
SI relation: 1 kn = 0.5144444444444 m/s (exact)
Derivation: 1 knot = 1 nautical mile (1852 m) per hour = 0.514444… m/s.
Exact: yes, by definition
Typical uses
- Aviation and marine navigation
- Wind speed in marine and aviation forecasts
- Boat and ship speeds
Convert knots to other units
| Conversion | 1 kn equals | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| knot to meter per second | 0.5144444444 m/s | meter per second to knot |
| knot to kilometer per hour | 1.852 km/h | kilometer per hour to knot |
| knot to mile per hour | 1.150779448 mph | mile per hour to knot |
| knot to foot per second | 1.687809857 ft/s | foot per second to knot |
Open the Speed Converter to convert any value between all units.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures , Table 4 (radian) and Table 8 (non-SI units accepted for use with the SI).
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Knot (kn). Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/units/knot/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Knot (kn)," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/units/knot/