Frequently Asked Questions
What is the wave speed equation?
v = fλ: speed equals frequency times wavelength. Speed in m/s, frequency in Hz (1/s), wavelength in m. The period T = 1/f.
How fast does light and sound travel?
Light in vacuum: c = 299,792,458 m/s exactly. Sound in air: ≈ 343 m/s at 20°C. Sound is roughly a million times slower than light.
Why does sound travel faster in water than air?
Wave speed depends on the medium's stiffness and density. Water is much stiffer than air relative to its density, so sound travels about 4× faster in water (~1480 m/s).
What's the difference between frequency and wavelength?
Frequency is cycles per second (pitch for sound, color for light). Wavelength is the distance between peaks. Higher frequency means shorter wavelength for a fixed speed.
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