EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -One knot equals one nautical mile per hour, or roughly 1.15 statute mph. The term knot dates from the 17th century, when sailors measured the speed of their ship using a device called a “common log.” The common log was a rope with knots at regular intervals, attached to a piece of wood shaped like a slice of pie.

Detailed explanation-2: -The term “knot”, in reference to currents, is defined as one nautical mile per hour and is used to measure speed. A nautical mile is slightly more than a standard mile. 1 nautical mile = 1.15 miles = 1.85 kilometers. 1 knot = 1.15 miles per hour = 1.85 kilometers per hour.

Detailed explanation-3: -The knot (/nɒt/) is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, exactly 1.852 km/h (approximately 1.151 mph or 0.514 m/s). The ISO standard symbol for the knot is kn.

Detailed explanation-4: -Boats and planes, which often travel longer distances affected by the earth’s curvature, use knots. Knots are a more accurate way of predicting how a boat (or a plane) traverses the face of the earth. That’s why nautical charts include and depend on longitude and latitude measurements.

Detailed explanation-5: -In modern times, a knot is a unit of speed that ties directly into the global latitude and longitude coordinate system. Therefore, in the aviation and nautical worlds, knots are oftentimes used in place of MPH and KPH since they are easier to navigate with.