What are the two main components related by the speed of light? (Background Material)
A Wavelength
B Frequency
C Photon
D None of the above
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is A. Wavelength and B. Frequency.
The speed of light in a vacuum, denoted as c, is a constant at approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. This speed is closely related to the frequency and wavelength of electromagnetic waves, which includes visible light, radio waves, microwaves, etc. The fundamental relationship between these components can be expressed by the equation:
c=λ×fc = \lambda \times f
Where:
- cc is the speed of light,
- λ\lambda (lambda) is the wavelength,
- ff is the frequency.
In this equation, the wavelength (λ\lambda) refers to the distance between two consecutive peaks (or troughs) of a wave, typically measured in meters. Frequency (ff) represents the number of wave cycles that pass a given point in one second, typically measured in Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz equals one cycle per second.
From the equation, it is clear that if the frequency increases, the wavelength must decrease for the speed of light to remain constant, and vice versa. This relationship is crucial in understanding the behavior of electromagnetic waves. For example, light with a higher frequency, like gamma rays, has a shorter wavelength, while light with a lower frequency, like radio waves, has a longer wavelength.
The photon (option C) is a particle representing a quantum of light, but photons are not directly part of the equation relating the speed of light to wavelength and frequency. Rather, photons are the carriers of energy, and their energy is also related to the frequency of the wave.
Thus, wavelength and frequency are the two primary components related by the speed of light. They are inversely proportional to each other while maintaining a constant relationship with the speed of light.