våglengder

Våglängder refers to the spatial period of a periodic wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. It is commonly denoted by the Greek letter lambda (λ). Våglängder are typically measured in units of distance, such as meters, centimeters, or nanometers.

The concept of våglängder is fundamental in the study of waves, including sound waves, water waves, and electromagnetic waves such as light. For electromagnetic waves, våglängden is inversely proportional to the frequency (f) of the wave, related by the speed of light (c) through the equation λ = c/f. This means that waves with higher frequencies have shorter våglängder, and waves with lower frequencies have longer våglängder.

Different våglängder correspond to different types of electromagnetic radiation. For instance, visible light encompasses a range of våglängder, with blue light having shorter våglängder than red light. Outside the visible spectrum, there are radio waves with very long våglängder, microwaves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays, each characterized by distinct våglängder and associated energies.

In acoustics, våglängder are related to the pitch of sound. Higher-pitched sounds have shorter våglängder, while lower-pitched sounds have longer våglängder. The interaction of waves with objects or obstacles often depends on their våglängd, a phenomenon known as diffraction. For example, longer våglängder tend to diffract more easily around obstacles than shorter våglängder.