Wavelength Calculator
Preset wave velocity
Light in vacuum
Wave velocity
299, 792, 458 m/s
Wave frequency
3.5 GHz
Wavelength (λ)
85.655 mm
Wavenumber
11.675 1/ m
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Last updated: Jun 29, 2024
Wavelength Calculator
Created by Bogna Szyk
Reviewed by Steven Wooding
2 422 people find this calculator helpful
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Table of contents
Main properties of waves
Wavelength formula
How to calculate wavelength
Typical wave speeds
FAQs
The wavelength calculator can assist you in
determining the relationship between frequency
and wavelength. Continue reading if you are here
to learn how to calculate the frequency of a wave
or look for the wavelength formula.
Main properties of waves
There are three main properties of a wave: its
velocity, wavelength, and frequency.
Wave velocity (v) is how fast a wave propagates
in a given medium. Its unit is meter per second.
Check the speed calculator for more information
about speed and velocity.
Wavelength (λ) is the distance over which the
shape of a wave repeats. It depends on the
medium in which a wave travels. It is measured in
meters.
Frequency (f) of a wave refers to how many times
(per a given time duration) the particles of a
medium vibrate when the wave passes through it.
The unit of frequency is Hertz or 1/second.
Wavelength formula
The relationship between wavelength and
frequency is described by this simple equation:
λ = v/f
Remember about the proper units! If in trouble,
you can always use the speed conversion.
How to calculate
wavelength
It's easy! Just use our wavelength calculator in the
following way:
1. Determine the frequency of the wave. For
example, f = 10 MHz . This frequency
belongs to the radio waves spectrum.
2. Choose the velocity of the wave. As a default,
our calculator uses a value of 299,792,458
m/s - the speed of light propagating in a
vacuum.
3. Substitute these values into the wavelength
equation λ = v/f .
4. Calculate the result. In this example, the
wavelength will be equal to 29.98 m .
5. You can also use this tool as a frequency
calculator. Simply type in the values of velocity
and wavelength to obtain the result.
Remember that the frequency doesn't change
when passing from one medium to another. If you
are trying to solve a complex problem with more
than one medium, use the wavelength formula
again with the same frequency, but different
velocity.
Waves with similar wavelengths produce easily
recognizable beats. Here's our tool with which you
can calculate the beat frequency. And we can also
quantify the performance of our waves or signals
using our modulation calculator.
Typical wave speeds
You can find a few typical wave velocity values
below. Type them into our wavelength calculator
to learn what is, for example, the wavelength of
red light in water.
Light in air or vacuum: 299,792,458 m/s
Light in water: 224,901,000 m/s
Sound in air: 343.2 m/s
Sound in water (20 °C): 1,481 m/s
FAQs
How does light wavelength affect
photosynthesis?
The best wavelengths of light for
photosynthesis are those that are blue (375-460
nm) and red (550-700 nm). These wavelengths
are absorbed as they have the right amount of
energy to excite electrons in the plant's
pigments, the first step in photosynthesis. This is
why plants appear green because red and blue
light that hits them is absorbed!
What is the relationship between
frequency and wavelength?
Frequency (f) and wavelength (λ) are joined by
the equation fλ = c, where c is the speed of light.
As the speed of light is constant, if you increase
the frequency, the wavelength must decrease to
maintain this equation and vice versa. This means
that the relationship between frequency and
wavelength is inversely proportional.
What color is the longest
wavelength?
The color of the longest wavelength that we can
see is red, with a wavelength of ~700 nm. The
wave with the longest wavelength, radio waves,
cannot be seen by the human eye, and therefore
doesn't have a color. The color of the shortest
wavelength is violet, at about 400 nm.
How do you measure wavelength?
To measure a wavelength:
1. Use a photometer to measure the energy of a
wave.
2. Convert the energy into joules (J).
3. Divide the energy by Planck’s constant,
6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J⋅Hz⁻¹, to get the frequency of the
wave.
4. Divide the speed of light, ~300,000,000 m/s,
by the frequency to get wavelength.
What is wavelength measured in?
Wavelength is the distance between two peaks
(or troughs) of a wave, and is therefore measured
in meters. Due to waves coming in all shapes and
sizes, the prefix associated with meters can
change dramatically, from km for radio waves,
micrometers for visible light (although often given
in nanometers), to picometers for gamma rays.
How do you calculate energy from
wavelength?
To estimate the energy:
1. Convert your wavelength into meters.
2. Divide the speed of light, ~300,000,000 m/s,
by the wavelength in m. This gives you the
wave's frequency.
3. Multiply the frequency by Planck’s constant,
6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J⋅Hz⁻¹. The result is the waves
energy in joules (J).
How do you calculate wavelength
from wavenumber?
To evaluate the wavelength:
1. Take your wavenumber, noting the units.
2. Divide 1 by the wavenumber.
3. It’s as easy as that!
4. The units for your new wavelength are 1 over
the old units, so 1/cm becomes cm.
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