Calculate the frequency of each of the following wave lengths of electromagnetic radiation.
1. 632.8 nm (wavelength of red light from helium-neon laser) ?
2. 503 nm (wavelength of maximum solar radiation) ?
3. 337.1 nm (wavelength of nitrogen laser) ?
Answer:
c = ƒ x ?
where “c” is the speed of light in a vacuum in m/s, “ƒ” is the frequency in s^-1, and “?” is the wavelength in meters.
Part 1:
First, we must change the units of wavelength from nanometers to meters:
1 m = 10^-9 m
632.8 nm = 632.8 x 10^-9 m
c = 3.00 x 10^8 m/s
? = 632.8 x 10^-9 m
ƒ = ?
ƒ = c / ?
ƒ = (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) / (632.8 x 10^-9 m )
ƒ = 4.74 x 10^14 s^-1 or hertz
Answer: The frequency of maximum solar radiation whose wavelength is 632.8 nm is
ƒ = 4.74 x 10^14 s^-1 or hertz
Part 2:
First, we must change the units of wavelength from nanometers to meters:
1 m = 10^-9 m
503 nm = 503 x 10^-9 m = 5.03 x 10^-7 m
c = 3.00 x 10^8 m/s
? = 5.03 x 10^-7 m
ƒ = ?
ƒ = c / ?
ƒ = (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) / (5.03 x 10^-7 m)
ƒ = 5.98 x 10^14 s^-1 or hertz
Answer: The frequency of maximum solar radiation whose wavelength is 503 nm is
5.98 x 10^14 s^-1 or hertz.
Part 3
First, we must change the units of wavelength from nanometers to meters:
1 m = 10^-9 m
337.1 nm = 337.1 x 10^-9 m
c = 3.00 x 10^8 m/s
? = 337.1 x 10^-9 m
ƒ = ?
ƒ = c / ?
ƒ = (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) / (337.1 x 10^-9 m )
ƒ = 8.89 x 10^14 s^-1 or hertz
Answer: The frequency of maximum solar radiation whose wavelength is 337.1 nm is
8.89 x 10^14 s^-1 or hertz.