General Knowledge · 2
Which nautical unit of speed got its name from sailors counting knots tied at fixed intervals in a rope trailed behind the ship?
Answer
Knot
Sailors measured speed by paying out a rope with evenly spaced knots and counting how many passed overboard in a fixed time, giving the unit its name.
💡 Did you know?
A knot measures ship speed because sailors tied knots in rope at fixed intervals, counting how many passed overboard in 28 seconds.
Other options people guess
- Fathom
- League
- Cable
Topics
- units-of-measurement
- nautical
- etymology
- history
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