If a light wave has a wavelength of 500nm in air what is the frequency of the wave?
[c = 3 x 108 ms-1]
Answer Details
The formula to calculate frequency is f = c/λ, where f is frequency, c is the speed of light, and λ is wavelength.
In this question, the wavelength given is 500nm (nanometers) and the speed of light is given as 3 x 10^8 m/s.
However, we need to convert the given wavelength from nanometers to meters by dividing it by 10^9. So, 500nm = 500 x 10^-9 m.
Now, substituting the values in the formula, we get:
f = c/λ = (3 x 10^8 m/s)/(500 x 10^-9 m)
f = 6 x 10^14 Hz
Therefore, the frequency of the wave is 6.0 x 10^14 Hz.