Question #f2711

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Answer 1 · 2014-02-02T02:29:49

The wavelength decreases as the frequency increases.

The wavelength $λ$ is the distance between successive peaks in a wave.

The frequency $f$ of a wave is the number of complete waves that pass a point in a given time.

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Above we see two sound waves travelling through space at the same velocity $v$ .

The red dot follows the amplitude of the wave as it goes by.

The frequency of oscillation of the dot is the frequency $f$ of the wave. The second wave has twice the frequency of the first.

You can see that the wavelength is halved when the frequency is doubled.

The frequency $f$ and wavelength $λ$ are related to one another and to the speed of the wave $v$ by the formula

$fλ = v$ .

Since $v$ is constant, if $f$ increases, $λ$ must decrease, and vice versa.