How do you determine the frequency of light whose wavelength is 4.257 x 10^-7 cm?

1 Answer
Dec 5, 2016

Please see the explanation.

Explanation:

Let c = "the speed of light" = 3.0 xx 10^8 m/s
Let lambda = "the wavelength" = 4.257 xx 10^-9 m
Let f = the unknown frequency (in Hz which is the same as s^-1).

NOTE: I converted the wavelength from cm to m.

Please observe this equation has consistent units:

c" (in "m/s) = lambda " (in meters) " xx f " (in Hz or s"^-1")"

When you divide both sides by lambda, the units remain consistent:

f = c/lambda

f = (3.0 xx 10^8 m/s)/(4.257 xx 10^-9m)

f = 7.0 xx 10^16 Hz