234k views
2 votes
A sound wave in the air is observed to have a wavelength of 25cm in air at room temperature. What is the frequency of this wave?

A) 340 Hz
B) 1360 Hz
C) 13600 Hz
D) 6800 Hz

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The frequency of a sound wave with a wavelength of 25cm in air at room temperature is approximately 1360 Hz (Option B), calculated using the speed of sound in air and the given wavelength.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the frequency of a sound wave given its wavelength in air, we use the formula frequency (f) = speed of sound (v) / wavelength (λ). At room temperature (approximately 20°C), the speed of sound is typically around 343 meters per second (m/s). Given a wavelength of 25 cm (0.25 m) for a sound wave in air, we can calculate the frequency as follows:

f = v / λ = 343 m/s / 0.25 m = 1372 Hz.

However, since the possible answers are rounded, the closest option to our calculated frequency is 1360 Hz (Option B).

In order to find the frequency of a sound wave, we need to use the formula:

speed of sound = frequency x wavelength

Since we are given the wavelength (25 cm) in air at room temperature and the speed of sound in air at room temperature is approximately 344 m/s, we can rearrange the formula to solve for frequency:

frequency = speed of sound / wavelength

Converting the wavelength to meters and plugging in the values, we have:

frequency = 344 m/s / 0.25 m = 1360 Hz

Therefore, the frequency of the sound wave is 1360 Hz.

User Rmeador
by
8.2k points