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Relationship Between Wavelength & Speed

There is a definite relationship between wavelength and speed. A wave, by definition is a disturbance or variation traveling through a medium. Waves can appear very different, depending on the medium. Sound waves are invisible but responsible for the transmission of all sounds. Ocean waves are a visible and easy to track example of a wave. A group at a sporting event doing "the wave" demonstrates the basic nature of waves as well. There are three basic components to all waves, wavelength, wave speed or velocity, and wave frequency. You cannot examine the relationship between length and speed without all three essential elements.

Wavelength
- Wavelength is the measurement of a single cycle of a wave. It is normally measured from crest to crest, or from the highest point of each wave. Wavelength can, however, be measured from any point on a wave, using the corresponding point on the next or previous wave. Wavelength measurements tell us many things, such as the speed of sound and light.
Wave Frequency
- The frequency of a wave refers to how many waves occur in a given interval. Typically, this interval is one second, and the waves are referred to as cycles, so frequency is measured in cycles per second. For example, if 100 cycles occur in one second, a wave has the frequency of 100 cycles per second (cps). A cycle per second is called a Hertz (Hz), so in this example it can be said the wave is traveling at 100 Hz.
Wave Speed
- Wave speed, or velocity, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, is distance traversed by a cyclic motion over a unit of time. The media through which a wave travels can affect the velocity. For example, sound travels through air at about 1,082 feet per second. The same wave will only travel at 4,920 feet per second in water, and about 3 miles per second in steel.
Relationship between velocity, frequency and length
- Wave velocity is a product of wavelength and frequency. This relationship is expressed with the equation "velocity equals wavelength times frequency". With this equation, knowing any two of these factors of a wave can be used to determine the third. For example, "wavelength equals velocity/frequency", and "frequency equals velocity/wavelength". This formula allows scientist to study the relationship between wave speed, frequency and length, and in so doing make important predictions. For example, seismologists can use this information to study waves caused by earthquakes to make predictions about the quake. Light waves can be studied to determine the distance of stars or planets. Waves are all around us, and this relationship is integral to understanding them.

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