The relationship between wavelength, frequency, and wave speed is described by the equation:
\[ v = f \lambda \]
where:
- \( v \) is the wave speed (measured in meters per second, m/s),
- \( f \) is the frequency (measured in hertz, Hz), which is the number of cycles per second,
- \( \lambda \) (lambda) is the wavelength (measured in meters, m), which is the distance between consecutive points of the same phase on the wave (such as crest to crest or trough to trough).
From this equation, we can see the following relationships:
-
Wave Speed (v): This is the speed at which the wave propagates through the medium. It is dependent on the medium and the type of wave.
-
Frequency (f): This indicates how many wave cycles pass a given point in one second. Higher frequency means more cycles per second.
-
Wavelength (λ): This is the distance between two consecutive points that are in phase on the wave.
If you know two of these values, you can calculate the third. For example:
- If you increase the frequency while keeping the wave speed constant, the wavelength must decrease.
- Conversely, if the frequency decreases (while keeping speed constant), the wavelength must increase.
Overall, the equation illustrates that speed is a product of frequency and wavelength, linking these three fundamental properties of waves together distinctly.
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