Question

A buoy bobs up and down in the ocean. The waves have a wavelength of 2.5 m, and they
pass the buoy at a speed of 4.0 m/s. What is the frequency of the waves?

Answer 1

To find the frequency of the waves, you can use the formula that relates wave speed, wavelength, and frequency:

\[
v = f \lambda
\]

where:
- \(v\) is the wave speed (4.0 m/s),
- \(f\) is the frequency in Hz (which we want to find),
- \(\lambda\) is the wavelength (2.5 m).

Rearranging the formula to solve for frequency gives us:

\[
f = \frac{v}{\lambda}
\]

Substituting in the values:

\[
f = \frac{4.0 \, \text{m/s}}{2.5 \, \text{m}} = 1.6 \, \text{Hz}
\]

Therefore, the frequency of the waves is **1.6 Hz**.