Question

Which statement correctly describes the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and energy

Answer 1

The relationship between wavelength, frequency, and energy can be described by the following key points:

1. **Wavelength and Frequency**: Wavelength (\( \lambda \)) and frequency (\( f \)) are inversely related. This means that as the wavelength of a wave increases, its frequency decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is expressed by the equation:
\[
c = \lambda f
\]
where \( c \) is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately \( 3 \times 10^8 \) meters per second).

2. **Energy and Frequency**: The energy (\( E \)) of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency. This relationship is expressed by the equation:
\[
E = h f
\]
where \( h \) is Planck's constant (approximately \( 6.626 \times 10^{-34} \) J·s). This means that higher frequency waves (such as gamma rays) carry more energy than lower frequency waves (such as radio waves).

3. **Energy and Wavelength**: Since wavelength and frequency are inversely related, energy can also be expressed in terms of wavelength. It can be shown that:
\[
E = \frac{h c}{\lambda}
\]
This indicates that shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energy, while longer wavelengths correspond to lower energy.

In summary, higher frequency corresponds to shorter wavelength and greater energy, while lower frequency corresponds to longer wavelength and lesser energy.