Frequency Wavelength Converter

Convert between frequency and wavelength for electromagnetic waves, sound waves, and more. Supports multiple units and media with interactive electromagnetic spectrum visualization.

Wave Equation: v = f × λ (Wave Speed = Frequency × Wavelength)

Where: v is wave speed (depends on medium), f is frequency, λ is wavelength

Frequency must be a positive number
Frequency of the wave
Wavelength must be a positive number
Wavelength of the wave
Vacuum (Light)

Speed: 299,792,458 m/s

Air (Sound, 20°C)

Speed: 343 m/s

Water (Sound)

Speed: 1,480 m/s

Glass (Light)

Speed: ~200,000,000 m/s

Extremely Low Frequency (ELF)
AM Radio
FM Radio
Wi-Fi
Visible Light (Green)
X-Rays
Conversion Results
100 kHz ↔ 2997.92458 mm (in vacuum)
v = f × λ = 299,792,458 m/s = (100,000 Hz) × (2,997.92458 m)
Calculation Steps
1. Wave speed in vacuum: v = 299,792,458 m/s
2. Convert frequency to Hz: 100 kHz = 100,000 Hz
3. Calculate wavelength: λ = v / f = 299,792,458 / 100,000 = 2,997.92458 m
4. Convert to mm: 2,997.92458 m × 1000 = 2,997,924.58 mm
Electromagnetic Spectrum
100 kHz
Radio Waves Microwaves Infrared Visible Ultraviolet X-Rays Gamma Rays
Unit Frequency Wavelength Wave Type
Hz / m 100,000 Hz 2,997.92458 m Radio Waves
kHz / mm 100 kHz 2,997,924.58 mm Radio Waves
MHz / cm 0.1 MHz 299,792.458 cm Radio Waves

Understanding Frequency and Wavelength

Frequency and wavelength are fundamental properties of waves, related by the wave equation. This relationship is crucial in physics, engineering, telecommunications, and many other fields.

The Wave Equation:

v = f × λ

Where:
v = wave speed (m/s), depends on the medium
f = frequency (Hz, oscillations per second)
λ = wavelength (m, distance between wave crests)

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum encompasses all types of electromagnetic radiation, differing only in frequency and wavelength. From lowest to highest frequency:

Radio Waves

3 Hz - 3 GHz, 100 km - 10 cm

Microwaves

3 GHz - 300 GHz, 10 cm - 1 mm

Infrared

300 GHz - 430 THz, 1 mm - 700 nm

Visible Light

430 THz - 750 THz, 700 nm - 400 nm

Ultraviolet

750 THz - 30 PHz, 400 nm - 10 nm

X-Rays

30 PHz - 30 EHz, 10 nm - 10 pm

Wave Speed in Different Media

Medium Wave Type Speed (m/s) Common Applications
Vacuum Electromagnetic 299,792,458 Light, radio communications, astronomy
Air (20°C) Sound 343 Audio, speech, music
Water (25°C) Sound 1,480 Sonar, underwater communication
Sea Water Sound 1,530 Marine navigation, submarine detection
Glass Light ~200,000,000 Optical fibers, lenses, prisms
Copper Electricity ~280,000,000 Electrical signals, data transmission

Unit Conversion Reference

Frequency Units
  • 1 Hz = 1 oscillation per second
  • 1 kHz = 1,000 Hz
  • 1 MHz = 1,000,000 Hz
  • 1 GHz = 1,000,000,000 Hz
  • 1 THz = 1,000,000,000,000 Hz
  • 1 PHz = 1,000,000,000,000,000 Hz
Wavelength Units
  • 1 m = 100 cm = 1,000 mm
  • 1 cm = 10 mm = 0.01 m
  • 1 mm = 0.1 cm = 0.001 m
  • 1 μm = 0.001 mm = 10⁻⁶ m
  • 1 nm = 0.001 μm = 10⁻⁹ m
  • 1 Å (Angstrom) = 0.1 nm = 10⁻¹⁰ m

Calculator Features:

  • Convert between frequency and wavelength for any medium
  • Support for 5 frequency units and 5 wavelength units
  • Interactive electromagnetic spectrum visualization
  • Pre-defined media: vacuum, air, water, glass
  • Custom medium with adjustable wave speed
  • Quick conversions for common frequencies
  • Detailed calculation steps and results table

Frequently Asked Questions

Wave speed depends on the properties of the medium. For electromagnetic waves, speed depends on the permittivity and permeability of the medium. For sound waves, speed depends on density and elasticity. Light travels fastest in vacuum (299,792,458 m/s) and slower in materials like glass or water.

Use the wave equation: v = f × λ. To find wavelength: λ = v / f. To find frequency: f = v / λ. First determine the wave speed (v) for your medium. For light in vacuum, v = 299,792,458 m/s. For sound in air at 20°C, v = 343 m/s.

These are different units of frequency, each representing a different scale:
  • Hz (Hertz): 1 oscillation per second
  • kHz (kilohertz): 1,000 Hz (10³ Hz)
  • MHz (megahertz): 1,000,000 Hz (10⁶ Hz)
  • GHz (gigahertz): 1,000,000,000 Hz (10⁹ Hz)
  • THz (terahertz): 1,000,000,000,000 Hz (10¹² Hz)
Higher frequencies correspond to shorter wavelengths and higher energy.

For electromagnetic waves, energy is directly proportional to frequency: E = h × f, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant (6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s), and f is frequency. Higher frequency waves (like gamma rays) have more energy than lower frequency waves (like radio waves). This is why UV light can cause sunburn while visible light cannot.

Yes! Simply select "Air (Sound)" or "Water (Sound)" as the medium, or use the custom medium option to input the speed of sound in your specific medium. For sound waves in air at 20°C, the speed is 343 m/s. For water at 25°C, it's approximately 1,480 m/s.