hullámhosszának

Hullámhossz is the spatial period of a periodic wave, defined as the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. It is typically denoted by λ and is measured in units such as metres or nanometres. The wavelength is related to the wave’s frequency f and wave speed v through the equation λ = v / f, implying that longer wavelengths travel slower in a medium of fixed speed. In vacuum, electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light c, so their wavelength and frequency satisfy λ = c / f.

In acoustic waves, the wavelength depends on the speed of sound in the medium, which varies with temperature, humidity, and medium density. The human audible range corresponds to wavelengths between roughly 0.3 and 17 metres for sounds ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz at normal atmospheric conditions.

Water waves exhibit a dispersion relation that connects wavelength, frequency, and depth; shallow water waves have longer wavelengths for a given frequency, whereas deep water waves have shorter wavelengths.

Wavelength is a key parameter in many scientific and engineering contexts, such as optics, radio communications, and sound engineering. It determines the constructive and destructive interference patterns seen in diffraction experiments, and it sets the spatial resolution limits for imaging systems. The concept also underpins the design of antennas, where the physical size is often a fraction of the operating wavelength.

Because wavelength is a fundamental characteristic of a wave, it is continually measured and applied in disciplines ranging from quantum mechanics, where the de Broglie wavelength describes particle matter waves, to art, where patterns of light and shadow can be analyzed in terms of spatial periodicity.