On 2008 Jan 15 , at 6:43 AM, STANLEY DOORE wrote:
Each frequency specified in Hertz has a specific wave length. Some
frequencies can be heard by humans while others cannot. There is a
direct relationship between frequency and wave length.
Sorry, Stanley, it is not quite true that each frequency has a
specified wavelength. It depends also on the speed of the wave (for
waves*). The relation that is important here is:
f = c/L
Thus, a wavelength of 1 m for sound wave (in air under normal
conditions) would yield a frequency of:
f = (334 m/s)/(1 m) = 334 cycles per second = 334 Hz
since the speed of sound is about 334 m/s. The same wavelength for
electromagnetic waves (light, radio, etc.) would be:
f = (3 x 10^9 m/s)/(1 m) = 3 x 10^9 Hz = 3 GHz
An ocean wave of 1 m wavelength washing up on the beach would have a
still different frequency. Clearly, it is not true that a specified
wavelength (of 1 m or any other specified size) does not correspond to
a specific frequency for all waves. Since the original discussion had
involved a comparison of sound waves with radio waves, this is
relevant here.
Regards,
Bill Hooper
*For simple oscillations and other repetitious phenomena, there is no
"wavelength" at all (because there is not wave). But the frequency is
still a genuine attribute that can be measured in hertz (Hz).
