1. What is Wavelength?

Wavelength is the distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave. It is commonly represented by the Greek letter lambda (λ).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the wavelength formula:

Where:

• \( \lambda \) — Wavelength (meters)
• \( c \) — Speed of the wave (meters/second)
• \( f \) — Frequency of the wave (Hz)

Explanation: The formula shows that wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency - as frequency increases, wavelength decreases, and vice versa.

3. Importance of Wavelength Calculation

Details: Calculating wavelength is essential in physics, engineering, and telecommunications for designing antennas, understanding wave propagation, and analyzing electromagnetic spectrum usage.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter frequency in Hertz (Hz) and wave speed in meters/second (m/s). For electromagnetic waves in vacuum, the speed of light (3×10⁸ m/s) is used by default.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between wavelength and frequency?
A: Wavelength is the physical distance between wave peaks, while frequency is how many wave peaks pass a point per second.

Q2: What are typical wavelength ranges?
A: Radio waves can be kilometers long, visible light is 380-750 nanometers, and gamma rays have picometer wavelengths.

Q3: Does wavelength change in different media?
A: Yes, when waves enter a different medium (like light entering water), their speed changes, which changes their wavelength while frequency stays constant.

Q4: How is wavelength related to energy?
A: For electromagnetic waves, shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy photons (E = hc/λ).

Q5: Can this calculator be used for sound waves?
A: Yes, just input the speed of sound (about 343 m/s in air at 20°C) instead of the speed of light.