Enter your Wave Velocity (v) and Frequency (f) — or swap in a known Wavelength (λ) — and the Wavelength Calculator solves for the missing variable using the wave equation, showing you the Calculated Value, the Formula Used, and the identified Wave Type based on your chosen Preset Wave Type or custom inputs.
Calculated Value
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Formula Used
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Wave Type
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Frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional. As frequency increases, wavelength decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is described by the equation λ = v/f, where v is the wave speed.
Use the formula λ = v/f, where λ is wavelength, v is wave velocity, and f is frequency. Divide the wave speed by the frequency to get the wavelength.
Wavelength is measured in units of length such as meters (m), nanometers (nm), micrometers (μm), centimeters (cm), or feet (ft), depending on the scale of the wave being studied.
Light travels at 299,792,458 m/s in vacuum, about 225,000,000 m/s in water, and slower in glass. Sound travels at approximately 343 m/s in air at 20°C and faster in denser media like water or steel.
Wavelength can be measured using interferometry, diffraction gratings, or by measuring the distance between successive wave crests or troughs in the wave pattern.
Red light has the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum, at approximately 700 nanometers, while violet light has the shortest at about 400 nanometers.