Question

The compound eyes of bees and other insects are highly sensitive to light in the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum, particularly light with frequencies between 7.5 × 1014 Hz and 1.0 × 1015 Hz. The speed of light is 3 × 108 m/s. What is the largest wavelength to which these frequencies correspond? Answer in units of m.

Answer 1

`4\cdot 10^(-7) m`

Step-by-step explanation:

The relationship between frequency, speed of light and wavelength of an electromagnetic wave is

`\lambda=(c)/(f)`

where

`\lambda` is the wavelength

c is the speed of light

f is the frequency

Let's calculate the corresponding wavelengths for the minimum and maximum frequency of the portion of spectrum to which bees and insects are sensitive:

`\lambda_1 = (3\cdot 10^8 m/s)/(7.5\cdot 10^(14) Hz)=4\cdot 10^(-7) m`

`\lambda_2 = (3\cdot 10^8 m/s)/(1.0\cdot 10^(15) Hz)=3\cdot 10^(-7) m`

So, the largest wavelength corresponding to these frequencies is

`4\cdot 10^(-7) m`