Miles Per Hour to Light Speed
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1 mile per hour (mph) = 1.49116E-09 light speed (ls). Mile Per Hour (mph) is a unit of Speed used in Metric system. Light Speed (ls) is a unit of Speed used in Metric system.

Miles Per Hour

Definition of Miles Per Hour

Miles per hour (mph, m.p.h., MPH, or mi/h) is a unit of speed that measures how fast something is moving in terms of miles per unit of time. It is commonly used in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other countries that use the US Standard system of measurement or have close historical ties with them. The speed limit signs on roads and highways are usually expressed in mph.

One mile per hour is equal to 1.609344 kilometers per hour, or 0.44704 meters per second. It can also be converted to other units of speed, such as feet per second, knots, or meters per second, by using appropriate conversion factors.

How to Convert Miles Per Hour

To convert miles per hour to other units of speed, we need to multiply or divide by the corresponding conversion factors. For example, to convert miles per hour to kilometers per hour, we need to multiply by 1.609344, since there are 1.609344 kilometers in one mile. To convert miles per hour to meters per second, we need to multiply by 0.44704, since there are 0.44704 meters in one mile.

Here are some examples of how to convert miles per hour to other units of length in the US Standard system and the SI system:

• To convert 10 mph to kilometers per hour (km/h), we multiply by 1.609344: 10 mph x 1.609344 = 16.09344 km/h
• To convert 20 mph to feet per second (fps), we multiply by 1.466666667, since there are 1.466666667 feet in one mile: 20 mph x 1.466666667 = 29.33333334 fps
• To convert 30 mph to knots (kn), we multiply by 0.8689762421, since there are 0.8689762421 nautical miles in one mile: 30 mph x 0.8689762421 = 26.069287263 kn
• To convert 40 mph to meters per second (m/s), we multiply by 0.44704: 40 mph x 0.44704 = 17.8816 m/s
• To convert 50 mph to meters per minute (m/min), we multiply by 26.8224, since there are 26.8224 minutes in one hour: 50 mph x 26.8224 = 1341.12 m/min
• To convert 60 mph to centimeters per second (cm/s), we multiply by 100, since there are 100 centimeters in one meter, and multiply by 0.44704: 60 mph x 100 x 0.44704 = 2682 cm/s

Where Miles Per Hour Are Used

Miles per hour are mainly used in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other countries that use the US Standard system of measurement or have close historical ties with them. They are often used for car speeds and road signs, as well as for trains, planes, boats, and bicycles.

For example, a car may have a speed of 60 mph, which means that it travels a distance of 60 miles in one hour. A road sign may indicate a speed limit of 55 mph, which means that drivers should not exceed this speed on that road section. A train may have a speed of up to 150 mph, which means that it covers a distance of up to 150 miles in one hour.

Miles per hour are also used in some other fields, such as sports, weather, and astronomy, where the speed or velocity of an object or phenomenon is measured in miles per unit of time.

History of Miles Per Hour

The origin of miles per hour as a unit of speed can be traced back to the development of the US Standard system and the mile as a unit of length in the late eighteenth century. The mile was defined as one thousand six hundred and nine meters (or eight furlongs) based on the English statute mile.

The term mile first appeared in English in the late fourteenth century, but it was not until later in the early nineteenth century that the use of miles per hour became more common; before that, other units such as feet per second or leagues per hour were preferred for expressing speed.

Miles per hour have been used ever since as a standard unit of speed for the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other countries that use the US Standard system or have close historical ties with them. They have also been adopted by some international organizations and conventions, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International System of Units.

Example Conversions of Miles Per Hour to Other Units

Here are some examples of how to convert miles per hour to other units of speed, using the conversion factors given above:

• To convert 100 mph to kilometers per hour, we multiply by 1.609344: 100 mph x 1.609344 = 160.9344 km/h
• To convert 200 mph to feet per second, we multiply by 1.466666667: 200 mph x 1.466666667 = 293.3333334 fps
• To convert 300 mph to knots, we multiply by 0.8689762421: 300 mph x 0.8689762421 = 260.69287263 kn
• To convert 400 mph to meters per second, we multiply by 0.44704: 400 mph x 0.44704 = 178.816 m/s
• To convert 500 mph to meters per minute, we multiply by 26.8224: 500 mph x 26.8224 = 13411.2 m/min
• To convert 600 mph to centimeters per second, we multiply by 100 and multiply by 0.44704: 600 mph x 100 x 0.44704 = 268200 cm/s
• To convert 700 mph to millimeters per minute, we multiply by 1000, since there are 1000 millimeters in one meter, and multiply by 26.8224: 700 mph x 1000 x 26.8224 = 18774880 mm/min

Light Speed

Definition of Light Speed

Light speed, commonly denoted c, is a universal physical constant that is exactly equal to 299,792,458 metres per second (approximately 300,000 kilometres per second; 186,000 miles per second; 671 million miles per hour). It is the speed at which light waves propagate through vacuum, and also the upper limit for the speed at which any form of matter or energy can travel through space. Light speed is an essential parameter in the theories of relativity and electromagnetism, and has relevance beyond the context of light and electromagnetic waves.

How to Convert Light Speed

To convert light speed to other units of speed, we need to multiply or divide by the corresponding conversion factors. For example, to convert light speed to kilometers per hour, we need to multiply by 3,600, since there are 3,600 seconds in one hour. To convert light speed to miles per hour, we need to multiply by 2.2369362920544, since there are 2.2369362920544 miles in one kilometer.

Here are some examples of how to convert light speed to other units of length in the US Standard system and the SI system:

• To convert c to kilometers per hour (km/h), we multiply by 3,600: c x 3,600 = 1,079,252,848.8 km/h
• To convert c to miles per hour (mph), we multiply by 2.2369362920544: c x 2.2369362920544 = 670,616,629.384 mph
• To convert c to feet per second (fps), we multiply by 3.2808398950131, since there are 3.2808398950131 feet in one meter: c x 3.2808398950131 = 983,571,056.43 fps
• To convert c to knots (kn), we multiply by 1.9438444924406, since there are 1.9438444924406 nautical miles in one kilometer: c x 1.9438444924406 = 582,749,918.284 kn
• To convert c to meters per second (m/s), we use the exact value: c = 299,792,458 m/s
• To convert c to meters per minute (m/min), we multiply by 60, since there are 60 seconds in one minute: c x 60 = 17,987,547,480 m/min

Where Light Speed Is Used

Light speed is used in various fields of science and technology where the properties and behavior of light and electromagnetic waves are studied or applied. For example:

• In astronomy and cosmology, light speed is used to measure astronomical distances and time scales, such as light-years and parsecs. It also determines the observable size and age of the universe and the effects of gravity on light such as gravitational lensing and gravitational redshift.
• In physics and engineering, light speed is used to calculate the energy and momentum of particles and fields using the famous equation E = mc2. It also sets the limit for causality and information transfer in physical systems.
• In communication and navigation, light speed is used to determine the delay and bandwidth of signals transmitted through various media such as optical fibers or radio waves. It also affects the accuracy and precision of measurements based on time-of-flight or Doppler effect methods.

History of Light Speed

The concept of light speed has a long history that spans across different cultures and disciplines. Some of the milestones in its development are:

• In ancient times, many philosophers and scientists assumed that light traveled instantaneously or infinitely fast.
• In the late 17th century, Danish astronomer Ole Romer was the first to demonstrate that light had a finite speed by observing the apparent motion of Jupiter’s moon Io. He estimated that light took about 22 minutes to cross the diameter of Earth’s orbit.
• In the early 18th century, English astronomer James Bradley discovered the aberration of starlight caused by Earth’s motion around the Sun. He used this phenomenon to calculate that light traveled about 10 thousand times faster than Earth’s orbital speed.
• In the late 19th century, French physicist Hippolyte Fizeau and American physicist Albert Michelson conducted various experiments using rotating mirrors or interferometers to measure the speed of light more accurately in air or vacuum.
• In the early 20th century, German-born physicist Albert Einstein proposed the special theory of relativity, which postulated that light speed was constant and independent of the motion of the source or the observer. He also showed that light speed was the maximum speed for any form of matter or energy in the universe.
• In the late 20th century, various methods and standards were developed to define and measure light speed more precisely and consistently. In 1983, the International System of Units (SI) adopted the exact value of 299,792,458 metres per second as the definition of light speed in vacuum.

Example Conversions of Light Speed to Other Units

Here are some examples of how to convert light speed to other units of speed, using the conversion factors given above:

• To convert c to kilometers per hour, we multiply by 3,600: c x 3,600 = 1,079,252,848.8 km/h
• To convert c to miles per hour, we multiply by 2.2369362920544: c x 2.2369362920544 = 670,616,629.384 mph
• To convert c to feet per second, we multiply by 3.2808398950131: c x 3.2808398950131 = 983,571,056.43 fps
• To convert c to knots, we multiply by 1.9438444924406: c x 1.9438444924406 = 582,749,918.284 kn
• To convert c to meters per second, we use the exact value: c = 299,792,458 m/s
• To convert c to meters per minute, we multiply by 60: c x 60 = 17,987,547,480 m/min
• To convert c to centimeters per second, we multiply by 100: c x 100 = 29,979,245,800 cm/s