## Relationship between frequency and wavelength

$c=\lambda v$

Rachna Goli 3E
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### Relationship between frequency and wavelength

Why is it that frequency and wavelength have an inverse relationship?

nikisepanj
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

because if there is a higher frequency, there are less waves, and therefore a shorter wavelength.

vincesmetona_3I
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

As wavelength decreases, frequency increases and vice versa. As the waves get smaller from peak to peak, the wave oscillates more rapidly (more cycles per unit of time).

Silvia Gomez 4K
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

Also, if you look at the equation where the wavelength of light (represented with lambda) times the frequency (represented with the letter v) is equivalent to c, we know that if we are given the wavelength and asked to find the frequency, we can find the answer because they are inverses and that allows us to use algebra to find the variable we need. The answers above explain how they are inverses in the context of a visual representation of the waves used to represent light and it may help to picture it like a sine graph. For instance, three cycles in one period means that the wavelength is smaller in size than the waves in a graph that shows one cycle in one period and the wave with three cycles has a greater frequency that the other one. The relationship of a wavelength and it's frequency is an inverse relationship because when one increases, the other decreases and all of that affects the total amount of energy of the wave.

KaylaH
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

When there is a higher frequency of waves passing by, the wave lengths decrease. When there is a lower frequency of waves passing by, the wavelengths increase...thus showing an inverse relationship between wavelengths and frequency.

504608290
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

The equation c=(frequency)(wavelength) gives the formula for frequency and wavelength. Light only has one speed, the speed of light, it doesn't change, it's a constant. Therefore when you change one of the variables you must change the other inversely or else you will end up with a speed of light that is different than 3x10^8. If your frequency drops then your wavelength must increase in order for the speed outcome to be 3x10^8. If your frequency increases then your wavelength must decrease in order to maintain that 3x10^8 speed of light.

Mahlet Dis 2D
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

Rachna Goli 3D wrote:Why is it that frequency and wavelength have an inverse relationship?

When the wavelength is shorter, there will be more waves (more peaks or troughs) in a given time (vice versa). How often the wave is making complete cycle ( a peak and a trough) or how often the wave repeats itself in a given time is another expression of what frequency is.

{ The shorter the wavelength--> more complete cycles-->the higher the frequency} in given time
{The longer the wavelength-->less complete cycles-->the lower the frequency} in a given time

Wesley Shen Lec 4
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

### Re: Relationship between frequency and wavelength

All electromagnetic radiation travel at the speed of light, which is c= 3.0 x 10^8 m/s.
Therefore, you can interpret this as they travel the same distance over the same time. If the wavelength is longer, less cycles of a wave will pass through a given distance over a given time. In other words, if you have a longer wavelength compared to a shorter one, less of it will "fit" in the interval of time. Since frequency is defined as the number of cycles per second, a higher frequency means more waves pass through in one second, so the wavelength must be shorter to fit more number of waves in that period of time.

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