We all have experienced waves in virtual life like on television or in real life like ripples on the water's surface.
In addition, surfers like to ride on waves. But, most people are unaware of the formula they can use to measure wavelength value. This article will describe the wavelength, the wavelength's formula, the wavelength calculator, and solved examples for wavelengths. Furthermore, after thoroughly going through the wavelength topic, you will quickly understand and calculate the wavelength of the waves.
Wave
The motion on the surface of the water because of action of wind can be referred to as a wave. Also, the frictional movement between the air and water molecules causes energy to be transferred from the wind to water; therefore, a wave transfers energy.
Wavelength
Wavelength is very easy to understand. If there is a wave, the distance between its two crests (the upper points of a wave) and the distance between its two troughs(the lower points of a wave) is the wavelength. Most diverse things move in similar waves, like the water, strings, air (sound waves), the earth or ground, and light can also be treated as a wave.
Moreover, the Greek letter lambda (λ) can represent a wave's wavelength. Furthermore, the velocity of the wave, divided by the frequency, will result in the wave's wavelength. As we all know, the wavelength is a kind of distance; therefore, its SI unit will be meter like that of a distance.
Wavelength Formula
Wavelength = wave velocity x frequency
λ = v x f
'λ' is the representation of the wavelength, the SI unit of λ is m.
'v' is the representation of the velocity of the speed of waves are moving in a direction in meter per second (m/s).
'f' is the representation of the frequency, the wave crests that go through a point in specific time cycles per second or hertz (cycles/second or Hz)
Example 1
If the speed of a wave is about 500 m/s and the frequency of the wave crest is 40 cycles per second. Then, find the wavelength of the sound wave?
Data:
speed of a wave = v = 500 m/s
frequency of a wave = f = 40 c/s
wavelength of a wave = λ = ?
Solution:
As we all know, the formula for the wavelength of a wave:
wavelength = speed of a wave x frequency of a wave
λ = v x f
λ = 500 m/s x 40 c/s
λ = 12.5 m
So, the wavelength of the sound wave is 12.5 m.
Example 2
A speedboat is making waves while traveling across the surface of a river. The waves are traveling towards the shores at a velocity of 15 m/s. Furthermore, the distance between the wave crests is 25 meters. At what frequency is the speedboat traveling?
Data:
speed of a wave = v = 15 m/s
wavelength of a wave = λ = 25 m
frequency of a wave = f = ?
Solution:
As we all know, the formula for the wavelength of a wave:
wavelength = speed of a wave x frequency of a wave
frequency of a wave = wavelength / speed of a wave
f = λ / v
f = 25 / 15
λ = 1.67 waves/second
So, the frequency of the speedboat is 1.67 waves per second.
Can you find the wavelength of any wave in seconds?
Yes! We live in the modern era of the internet; there are many tools available on the internet for calculating the wavelengths of any wave in seconds. Tools City's Wavelength calculator is the most appropriate and easy tool to calculate not only wavelength but also wave frequency, wave velocity, and wavenumber. In addition, you can use different units for the above parameters in calculations. Tools City's wavelength calculator gives you the preset values as an option for different constants in a wave, like the light in air, the light in vacuum, light in water, etc.
In Tools City's wavelength calculator, you will find a total of five blank boxes and one reset button. The first box is for preset values as an option; the second box is for wave velocity; the third box is for wave frequency; the fourth box is for wave wavelength, and the final box is used for the wavenumber. You can fill all those boxes with different units and constant values in the first box.
How does Tools City's Wavelength calculator work?
Tools City's Wavelength calculator is extremely easy to operate. All you need to know is the values of a few parameters, like if you want to find out the wavelength of a wave, you must know the values for the velocity of a wave and the frequency of a wave. When you open this calculator, you will find a preset value box in the first box, and it will give you the values of constants like the light in vacuum, sound in copper, sound in air, etc.
Because of this box, the second box will automatically generate a value, so if you want to find wavelength, you will have to write value only in the box for wave frequency. Let us find out the wavelength of a light wave that has a light in a vacuum, and its frequency is 24 megahertz.
First, you will set the light in a vacuum in the preset box; you can see that in the second box for wave velocity 299792458 m/s value is automatically generated. Now, in the third box for wave frequency, you will write the value of 24 megahertz. After that, Tools City's Wavelength calculator will automatically generate the results wavelength as 12.49 m, and wavenumber as 0.08006 1/m.
Now you can guess that how easy and reliable this tool is. Another best thing about this tool is that it is free.