Final answer:
The product of a wave's wavelength and frequency equals the speed of the wave. For light, this value is the speed of light in a vacuum, which is about 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s. The equation that encapsulates this relationship is c = λv.
Step-by-step explanation:
The product of a wave's wavelength (λ) and its frequency (v), λv, always equals the speed of the wave. In the context of electromagnetic waves, such as light, this velocity is the speed of light, which in a vacuum, is a constant value denoted by the symbol c and is approximately 3.00 × 108 m/s.
To understand the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and the speed of light, let's consider the equation c = λv, where c represents the speed of light, λ denotes the wavelength in meters, and v is the frequency in Hertz. As one can see, there is an inverse relationship between the wavelength and frequency; if the frequency increases, the wavelength must decrease for the product to remain equal to the speed of light, and vice versa. This relationship is a cornerstone in the study of physics and underlies many applications in fields ranging from telecommunications to medicine.