Home
Back
Wavelength Equation:
| From: | To: |
The wavelength equation (λ = c / f) calculates the wavelength of electromagnetic waves from frequency, where c is the speed of light (3×10^8 m/s) and f is the frequency in hertz (Hz). This fundamental physics equation relates wave properties in various applications.
The calculator uses the wavelength equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation shows the inverse relationship between frequency and wavelength - higher frequencies result in shorter wavelengths, and vice versa.
Details: Wavelength calculation is essential in telecommunications, radio broadcasting, optics, astronomy, and various engineering fields where electromagnetic wave properties need to be determined for system design and analysis.
Tips: Enter frequency in hertz (Hz). The value must be positive and greater than zero. The calculator will automatically use the speed of light constant (3×10^8 m/s).
Q1: What is the speed of light constant used?
A: The calculator uses c = 3×10^8 m/s, which is the approximate speed of light in vacuum (299,792,458 m/s rounded to 300,000,000 m/s).
Q2: Can I calculate frequency from wavelength?
A: Yes, you can rearrange the equation to f = c / λ to calculate frequency from a known wavelength.
Q3: What are typical frequency ranges?
A: Radio waves: 3 kHz-300 GHz, Microwaves: 300 MHz-300 GHz, Infrared: 300 GHz-430 THz, Visible light: 430-750 THz, UV: 750 THz-30 PHz.
Q4: Does the speed of light change in different media?
A: Yes, light travels slower in materials other than vacuum. The equation uses vacuum speed; for other media, use the appropriate speed of light in that medium.
Q5: What units are used for wavelength?
A: Typically meters, but for very short wavelengths (like light), nanometers (nm) or micrometers (μm) are often used. 1 meter = 1,000,000,000 nanometers.