Assume that 10 waves pass a fixed point in 5 seconds. What’s the frequency of the wave in Hertz?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The frequency of a wave is defined as the number of waves that pass a fixed point in one second. It is measured in Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz is equivalent to one wave per second. To calculate the frequency, we use the formula:
[
\text{Frequency} (f) = \frac{\text{Number of Waves}}{\text{Time in seconds}}
]
In this case, 10 waves pass a fixed point in 5 seconds. Substituting the values into the formula:
[
f = \frac{10 \, \text{waves}}{5 \, \text{seconds}} = 2 \, \text{Hz}
]
Thus, the frequency of the wave is 2 Hz.
Explanation:
Frequency is an essential concept in wave mechanics. It represents how often a wave repeats itself over a certain period, specifically the number of cycles (or waves) that occur per second. The unit of frequency is Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz means that one complete wave passes through a given point in one second.
In this problem, we are given that 10 waves pass a point in 5 seconds. This means that in every second, fewer than 10 waves pass the same point. To calculate the frequency, we simply divide the total number of waves by the total time. By dividing 10 waves by 5 seconds, we find that 2 waves pass the fixed point every second. Therefore, the frequency is 2 Hz.
Understanding frequency is crucial in many fields such as physics, music, and engineering. In sound waves, for example, higher frequencies correspond to higher-pitched sounds. In light waves, higher frequencies correspond to bluer colors, while lower frequencies are associated with redder colors. Additionally, radio and telecommunications heavily depend on frequency to transmit signals over various bands. Thus, being able to calculate and understand frequency is fundamental in both everyday applications and advanced scientific disciplines.