Understanding the Relationship
* Wavelength (λ): The distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave.
* Frequency (ν): The number of waves passing a point in a given time (usually measured in Hertz, Hz).
* Speed of light (c): The speed at which light travels in a vacuum (approximately 3 x 10⁸ m/s).
The relationship between these three is:
c = λν
Calculation
1. Convert wavelength to meters:
580 nm = 580 x 10⁻⁹ m
2. Rearrange the equation to solve for frequency:
ν = c / λ
3. Plug in the values:
ν = (3 x 10⁸ m/s) / (580 x 10⁻⁹ m)
4. Calculate the frequency:
ν ≈ 5.17 x 10¹⁴ Hz
Therefore, the frequency of light with a wavelength of 580 nm is approximately 5.17 x 10¹⁴ Hz.
