## Unit for Wavelength

$c=\lambda v$

Yazmin Bocanegra 3L
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Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:17 am

### Unit for Wavelength

Since "Hz" is for frequency and "m/s" is for speed, is there a label/unit for wavelength?

AnnikaMittelhauser4E
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Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 12:18 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The standard unit for wavelength is just meters since it is a distance. You should have wavelength in meters when doing calculations so the units will cancel properly. However, often we are given the value in nanometers (in which case you'd want to convert the value to meters as your first step) or asked to give the answer in nanometers (in which case you'd convert your answer to nanometers in the last step).

andrewcj 2C
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Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength refers to the length of a wave, which is measured in meters. Just in case you needed the conversions, 1 nm = 10^-9 m. I also think that these conversions will be provided on tests.

005206171
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

wavelength is just measuring one peak to the next so this distance is in meters

Kassidy Ford 1I
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

while nanometers is common for wavelength, so is picometers, or leaving your answers in meters. honestly you could leave it in any unit of meters you want, lol

ValerieChavarin 4F
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Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:18 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength is measured in meters or other prefixes of meters such as nano and pico. It's easy to remember that units should cancel, c=λν which essentially is (m/s)=m x s^(-1)

Donna Nguyen 2L
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Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The unit for wavelength is meters. Although, it can be seen in nanometers, kilometers, picometers, etc.

Jasmine Summers 4G
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

In problems, nm are often used because wavelengths are so small. However, make sure that you're using meters for the calculations because that is the SI unit used.

Megan Cao 1I
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Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2019 12:18 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

the unit for wavelength is in meters, or more commonly nanometers, nm (10^-9 m)
you can see this in the equation c=frequency x wavelength. if you rearrange the equation for wavelength you get c/frequency. the units for speed of light are m/s and the unit of frequency is s^-1. so the seconds cancel out and you're left with meters.

Kaitlyn Jang 1F
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Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:16 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength is measured in meters, however some questions give or ask for the wavelength in nanometers. In the case that it does give nanometers of wavelength, just make sure to convert it to meters (nm x 10^-9) so that you can get the correct answer since the speed of light also has a unit of m/s and frequency is s^-1.

Kishan Shah 2G
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Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:15 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Usually when you are doing calculations using the equations related to this unit and you cancel out all the units you are left with meters when you are solving for wavelength. However, a lot times the questions want you to convert this answer into nanometers since the most common way to report wavelength is in nanometers. To summarize, the answer you get from the equation will be in meters, and you may have to or you may want to convert to nanometers.

MBouwman_4A
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Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:21 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The standard unit for wavelength is meters (m). However it is often shown in problems as picometers (pm), nanometers (nm), or even Angstroms (A).

504939134
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Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:21 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

It is measured in meters, it is a distance. You can give it in picometers, and nanometers as well.

san_2F
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

it's usually measured in meters but sometimes, problems can ask for it in nanometer, picometers, or angstroms.

Andrea_Torres
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Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2019 12:15 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The unit for wavelength is in meters but sometimes for some problems nanometers is used.

Areena H 2K
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Typically I was told in discussion that wavelengths are given in nm but meters are used as well and picometers.

aishwarya_atmakuri
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Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:15 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The standard unit for wavelength is m, and this is the output of equations relating to light. However, nanometers (10^-9) are also a common unit of measurement.

Sally kim 4F
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Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:17 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The unit for wavelength is m, since it is just a measurement of distance. Nanometers and picometers are both also alright in terms of using units.

kendal mccarthy
Posts: 109
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:22 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Hi! It seems mostly the wavelength, distance from peak to peak, is measured in nm, nanometers, on most of the diagrams in the book for the EM spectrum. But I'm sure maybe the tests will have us convert units to use in other equations.

Noah Canio 3C
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

As mentioned by people in this thread, it looks like wavelength is going to measured in nm (nanometers). If you remember the equation:

speed of light = frequency*wavelength

You should notice that the speed of light has the units (meters/second).

Since frequency is cycles per second or (per second), it would make sense for wavelength to have units that are related to length (meters).

Cynthia Rodas 4H
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Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:21 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

$c = \lambda \nu$

The standard units are:

c= Speed of Light in meters per second (m/s)
$\lambda$= wavelength in meters (m)
$\nu$= frequency in Hertz (Hz or 1/s)

However, the wavelength can be in other length units if the problem states otherwise. In that case, you would have to use dimensional analysis.

SimranSangha4I
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The wavelength measures the distance between each wave! So the unit for wavelength would be in meters (m) but we also frequently use nanometers (nm). The conversion would be 1nm= 10^-9 m!

gabbymaraziti
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The unit for wavelength is meters... but, we aren't provided the conversions to nanometers, picometers, etc. on tests, so you should memorize the conversions for these.

Tyler Angtuaco 1G
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

In the context of light, wavelength is usually given in nano-meters.

Abigail_Hagen2G
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The general unit is meters, but it wavelength can usually be put in nanometers

lilymayek_1E
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

wavelength, as everyone said above ^ is in meters, but probably know picometers (10^-12) and nanometers (10^-9) conversions, since those are the most asked/common ways its asked for wavelength!

305376058
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength is a measure of distance, so it will typically be in some variation of meters (nanometers, picometers, etc.).

Anna Chen 1K
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The standard unit for wavelength is meters (m) but it can be converted from nanometers, centimeters, etc.

Elizabeth 4I
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

units for wavelength are usually measured in meters or other prefixes of meters

305303255
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

The unit is meters, but can also be a variation of that like nano- and pico- meters

J Medina 2I
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelengths are measured in meters since it is a distance. It is common to see them measured in nanometers which is 1x10^-9 of a meter.

Amanda Ung 4D
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength is measured in meters but always keep in mind the conversions! Typically the problems that I've seen for wavelength call for answers in nanometers.

mayarivers3I
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength is a measure of distance so the unit is meters, but can be seen as pico- and nano- meters.

abby hyman
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### Re: Unit for Wavelength

since wavelength is a measure of distance it is found in meters, pm, or nm

Caitlin Ciardelli 3E
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Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:19 am

### Re: Unit for Wavelength

Wavelength measures the peak to peak distance, and therefore is measured in meters. It is also important to note that wavelength is not limited to peak to peak specifically, it can also refer to trough to trough.

Also remember that wavelength and frequency have an inverse relationship!