## Wavelength vs Frequency

$c=\lambda v$

Jessica Helfond 2F
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:16 am

### Wavelength vs Frequency

Could someone explain how wavelength and frequency are different? Or are they related?

Fanny Lee 2K
Posts: 73
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:29 am

### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

The wavelength is the distance between the peaks or trouphs of a wave. The frequency is how many waves occur within a given time. The wavelength and frequency of light are closely related. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. Because all light waves move through a vacuum at the same speed, the number of wave crests passing by a given point in one second depends on the wavelength. The wavelength is inversely proportional to the frequency. The higher the frequency the shorter the wavelength and vice versa.

Ahmet_Dikyurt_3L
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:23 am

### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

I know that frequency and intensity are different but that's not the question.
A wave has a frequency (time needed) and a wavelength, so they are related to each other;
The distance between peaks of a wave is its wavelength.
Frequency (unit = hertz) is the number of waves that pass in a given time.
So;
Speed of Light (c) = Wavelength (lambda λ) x Frequency (v)
Frequency (v) = Speed of Light (c) / Wavelength (lambda λ)
Wavelength (lambda λ) = Speed of Light (c) / Frequency (v)
The Professor gave us the first formula, the others are simple math

005199302
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

Wavelength is a measure of distance between peaks of a wave (Dr. Lavelle drew a diagram of this in class), while frequency is a measure of the rate at which wavelengths occur.

Jake Gordon 1A
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:15 am

### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

Wavelength is the distance from one crest of the wave to the next. If you think of it like a sinusoid graph, it is like 1 period. The frequency is how often this period occurs. The more often a wave occurs the more energy it has. Wavelength and frequency are inversely proportional. In addition, frequency varies directly with energy.

305174946
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

Also in an experiment, how would one alter the wavelength and frequency of light?

Ashley Kim
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:19 am
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### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

I thought this question was interesting, so I decided to search it up.

It turns out that you cannot change the frequency of a specific sample of light (as far as I know, you would have to get a different sample), but you can change the wavelength by passing light through a filter.

There is also a phenomenon known as the Doppler effect that is specifically defined as the change in frequency as two objects move closer/farther from each other.

AlyssaBei_1F
Posts: 99
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

### Re: Wavelength vs Frequency

Wavelength is the distance from one peak to another. Frequency is the amount of waves over a given period.