# What color light has the highest frequency?

Apr 14, 2014

Violet.

#### Explanation:

Violet waves have the most energy of the visible spectrum.

Remember: $\text{ } c = f \lambda$

Therefore: $\text{ } f = \frac{c}{\lambda}$

Here $c$ is the speed of light in a vacuum.

So:

As wavelength decreases, frequency increases and, as $E = h f$, where $h$ is constant (Planck's constant), so does the energy that the waves carry. Waves with a short wavelength have the most energy.

Red waves have a relatively long wavelength (in the 700 nm range), and violet waves are much shorter - roughly half that.

Because violet waves have the shortest wavelength of the visible light spectrum, they carry the most energy.

Jul 24, 2015

I remember it as the highest frequency indicating the highest energy. The higher the frequency, the faster the oscillations and thus the higher the energy. Therefore, the highest-frequency ultra-violet light (or the lowest wavelength) is violet. However, the highest-frequency visible light would have to be roughly blue.

200~400nm is difficult to see, while 400~700nm is more often the more visible end of the light spectrum.