Wavelength Formula:
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The wavelength formula \( \lambda = \frac{v}{f} \) calculates the wavelength of a wave from its velocity and frequency. This fundamental physics equation is essential in various scientific fields including optics, acoustics, and electromagnetism.
The calculator uses the wavelength formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula demonstrates the inverse relationship between frequency and wavelength - as frequency increases, wavelength decreases, and vice versa.
Details: Accurate wavelength calculation is crucial for designing communication systems, analyzing wave properties, understanding electromagnetic spectrum allocation, and various scientific research applications.
Tips: Enter velocity in meters per second and frequency in Hertz. Both values must be positive numbers. The calculator supports scientific notation input for very large or very small values.
Q1: What is the velocity of light in vacuum?
A: The speed of light in vacuum is approximately 299,792,458 m/s (often rounded to 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s for calculations).
Q2: How does wavelength relate to energy?
A: For electromagnetic waves, shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons according to the formula \( E = \frac{hc}{\lambda} \), where h is Planck's constant.
Q3: Can this formula be used for sound waves?
A: Yes, the formula applies to all types of waves, including sound waves, where velocity depends on the medium (approximately 343 m/s in air at 20°C).
Q4: What are typical frequency ranges?
A: Audio frequencies: 20 Hz - 20 kHz; Radio waves: 3 kHz - 300 GHz; Visible light: 430-750 THz; X-rays: 30 PHz - 30 EHz.
Q5: How to handle scientific notation inputs?
A: Enter numbers in standard format (e.g., 3e8 for 300,000,000) or use decimal notation. The calculator will process both formats correctly.