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A radio station broadcasts at 650 kHz (650,000 cycles per sec). What is the wavelength of this signal?

User SilentNot
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2 Answers

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14 votes

Final answer:

The wavelength of the radio signal is approximately 461.5 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to determine the wavelength of the radio signal, we can use the formula:

Wavelength = Speed of Light / Frequency

Given that the frequency of the radio station is 650 kHz (650,000 cycles per second), we need to convert it to Hz by multiplying it by 1,000. The speed of light is approximately 3 x 10^8 meters per second.

Plugging in the values, we get:

Wavelength = (3 x 10^8 m/s) / (650,000 Hz x 1,000)

Simplifying the equation, we find that the wavelength of the radio signal is approximately 461.5 meters.

User Bubblewrap
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26 votes
26 votes

Let's write down some variables:

f: frequency; f = 650000 Hz

c: speed of light (radio waves); c = 3*10^8 m/s

λ: wavelength; this is what we're solving for

Given these variables, we can use the following equation to solve for λ:

c = fλ

Plugging in our known variables, we get

3*10^8 = 650000λ

Solving for λ, we get that

λ = 461.538 m

User Roadies
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