Wavelength Calculator

Work out wavelength instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Wavelength Calculator

Every wave obeys v = f x lambda, so the wavelength is speed divided by frequency. Concert A at 440 Hz in air at 343 m/s spans 0.78 m, while the same note in water at 1480 m/s stretches to 3.36 m - the frequency is set by the source but the wavelength is set by the medium.

Formulas

Wave equation

v = f x lambda, so lambda = v / f

Period

T = 1 / f

Worked example

With the default values below, Wavelength Calculator returns Wavelength of 0.77955. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Wave speedminimum 0 m/s: 343 m/s
Frequencyminimum 0 Hz: 440 Hz

Results

Wavelength: 0.77955 m
Same Wavelength In Centimetres: 77.955
Period Of One Cycle: 2.2727 × 10⁻³ s
Waves Per Metre: 1.2828

Step by step

1Values used
2Wave equation
3Period
4Wavelength= 0.77955 m
5Same Wavelength In Centimetres= 77.955
6Period Of One Cycle= 0.0023 s
7Waves Per Metre= 1.2828

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or fees or charges into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 5 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does wavelength change when sound enters water?

Yes. Frequency is fixed by the source, and since sound travels four times faster in water, the wavelength stretches by the same factor.

What speed should I use for light?

299,792,458 m/s in vacuum, divided by the refractive index in a medium - about 2.0e8 m/s in glass.