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What's the conversion factor from meters per second to miles per hour?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The conversion factor from meters per second to miles per hour is approximately \( \frac{3600}{1609.34} \) or about 2.23694.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the conversion relationships

There are 1609.34 meters in one mile. Similarly, there are 3600 seconds in one hour. Both these conversion factors will be used in this problem.
02

Set up the conversion

Assume the speed we want to convert is \( y \) meters per second. We want to find out how many miles per hour this equates to. So, the problem can be set up as: \( y \) meters/second \(\times\) (1 mile/1609.34 meters) \(\times\) (3600 seconds/1 hour).
03

Perform the conversion

The meters and seconds will cancel out each other, leaving us with miles per hour. Hence, \( y \) meters/second \(\times\) 1 mile/1609.34 meters \(\times\) 3600 seconds/1 hour = \( y \times \frac{3600}{1609.34} \) miles/hour

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Meters per Second
Meters per second is a unit of speed that tells us how many meters an object travels in one second. It's sometimes abbreviated as m/s. When discussing speed, this unit is common in scientific contexts and is often used in physics. For example, water flows in meters per second in rivers, and light moves at approximately 300,000,000 meters per second.
This unit is part of the metric system, also known as the International System of Units (SI), which is a widely used measurement system. Being familiar with meters per second is useful because it provides a basis for converting to other units of speed, such as miles per hour. When solving problems, it's also helpful to know when and how to use meters per second.
Miles per Hour
Miles per hour, abbreviated as mph, is another unit for measuring speed. It indicates the number of miles traveled in one hour. This unit is commonly used in countries where the Imperial system is prevalent, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, and it's the standard for showing speed limits and vehicle speeds on roads.
In everyday life, we're accustomed to seeing miles per hour on speedometers and road signs. It's essential to know that while the metric system uses meters per second, the Imperial system uses miles per hour, yet both aim to describe the same concept: speed. Once again, having a grasp on this unit allows you to easily understand speed limits and other practical applications related to travel and distance.
Conversion Factor
A conversion factor is a crucial element when switching from one unit of measurement to another. It's a ratio that expresses how many of one unit are equal to another unit. For instance, between meters and miles, and seconds and hours, knowing these relationships involves conversion factors.
To convert meters per second to miles per hour, we need two main conversion factors:
  • 1 mile = 1609.34 meters
  • 1 hour = 3600 seconds
These factors are used to cancel out the unwanted units, effectively transforming our original unit of speed into the desired unit. Remember, the key to using conversion factors is correctly multiplying and simplifying until the units you're converting from are no longer present.
Speed Conversion
Speed conversion is important when different systems of measurement are used. Imagine you're traveling and you need to understand speed limits in a country with different units. That's where speed conversion comes in handy.
Given these situations, the conversion process usually involves these steps:
  • Identify the units you're starting with and the units you need to convert to.
  • Apply the necessary conversion factors front-to-back.
  • Cancel out the units until you reach your desired unit of measurement.
In this specific problem, converting meters per second to miles per hour means utilizing conversion factors for both length (meters to miles) and time (seconds to hours). You set up a formula where the original unit cancels out through multiplication, eventually leaving you with the desired speed expressed in miles per hour. Remember, the correct application of conversion factors simplifies the process and avoids errors.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

You're at mission control for a rocket launch, deciding whether to let the launch proceed. A band of clouds \(5.3 \mathrm{km}\) thick extends upward from \(1.9 \mathrm{km}\) altitude. The rocket will accelerate at \(4.6 \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}^{2},\) and it isn't allowed to be out of sight for more than \(30 \mathrm{s}\) Should you allow the launch?

A motorist suddenly notices a stalled car and slams on the brakes, negatively accelerating at \(6.3 \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}^{2} .\) Unfortunately, this isn't enough, and a collision ensues. From the damage sustained, police estimate that the car was going \(18 \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{h}\) at the time of the collision. They also measure skid marks 34 m long. (a) How fast was the motorist going when the brakes were first applied? (b) How much time elapsed from the initial braking to the collision?

Amtrak's 20 th-Century limited is en route from Chicago to New York at \(110 \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{h}\) when the engineer spots a cow on the track. The train brakes to a halt in 1.2 min, stopping just in front of the cow. (a) What is the magnitude of the train's acceleration? (b) What's the direction of the acceleration? (c) How far was the train from the cow when the engineer applied the brakes?

You're atop a building of height \(h,\) and a friend is poised to drop a ball from a window at \(h / 2 .\) Find an expression for the speed at which you should simultaneously throw a ball downward, so the two hit the ground at the same time.

A jetliner touches down at \(220 \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{h}\) and comes to a halt \(29 \mathrm{s}\)

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