Speed of a Cheetah

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Bibliographic Entry	Result (w/surrounding text)	Standardized Result
"Cheetah." Illustrated Encyclopedia of Animals. New York: Grisewood & Dempsey, 1992.	"Someone reportedly timed a cheetah running at 70 mph (114 km/hr) over a distance of 700 yards (640 meters) But many people accept a likelier top speed of about 60 mph (97 km/hr)."	31 m/s (claimed) 27 m/s (likely)
"Cheetah." World Almanac and Book of Facts. New Jersey: Primedia, 1998.	"Cheetah, 70 mph"	31 m/s
Macmillan, Dianne M. Cheetahs. Minneapolis, MN: Carolhoda, 1997.	"From a standing start the Cheetah can reach 45 mph (20 m/s) in 2 seconds."	20 m/s
"Cheetah." Macmillan Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia. New York: Macmillan, 1994.	"Superbly adapted for speed, the Cheetah is the fastest of the big cats, able to retain speeds of 112 km/hr (69 and ½ mph)."	31.1 m/s
Cheetah Conservation in Southern Africa. Trade Environment Database (TED). American University, Washington, DC.	"The cheetah is capable of speed up to 72 mph (114 km/h) and can maintain this speed over an average prey chase of 3.5 miles."	32 m/s

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is one of the fastest mammals found in the animal kingdom today. I have searched through many books and other references to find that the maximum speed of a cheetah is documented with the speed of about 30 m/s (70 mph).

The book of cheetahs I found said that every part of a cheetah's body is made for speed. Its body is slender, light and its long tail helps it to stay balanced. The bones of a cheetah are designed to take punishment. The claws of the Cheetah do not retract, they grip the ground and help cheetah push off the same way a track shoe with cleats help a runner start a race.

From standing start, a cheetah can accelerate from zero to 20 m/s in two seconds, at a rate of 10 m/s². Most race cars cannot accelerate that fast.

Alex Schuster -- 1999

Bibliographic Entry	Result (w/surrounding text)	Standardized Result
Doherty, James G. Natural History. March 1974. as cited in Speed of Animals. InfoPlease Kid's Almanac.	"Cheetah 70.00 mph" [I seriously doubt the precision implied by this number.]	31.29 m/s

Editor's Supplement -- 1999