Question

A beam of light has 600 nm what is the frequency

Answer 1

`f = 5 * 10^(14) \; \text{Hz}` if the wavelength is observed in vacuum.

Explanation:

`f = (c)/(\lambda)`,

where

• 
  `f` is the frequency of this beam of light,
• 
  `\lambda` is its wavelength, and
• 
  `c` is the speed of light.

`c \approx 3.00 * 10^(8) \; \text{m}\cdot \text{s}^(-1)` in vacuum and in the earth atmosphere. However, the value of
`c` will be smaller in other media.

`1 \; \text{nm} = 1 * 10^(-9) \; \text{m}`.

• 
  `\text{m} \cdot \text{s}^(-1)` is the SI unit for speed.
• 
  `\text{m}` is the SI unit for distance.

`\lambda = 600 \; \text{nm} = 600 * 10^(-9) \; \text{m} = 6.00 * 10^(-7) \;\text{m}`.

`f = (c)/(\lambda) = \frac{3.00 * 10^(8) \; \text{m}\cdot \text{s}^(-1)}{6.00 * 10^(-7)\; \text{m}} = 5 * 10^(14) \; \text{s}^(-1)`.

One [oscillation] in each second is the same as one Hertz
`\text{Hz}`. In other words,
`1 \; \text{s}^(-1) = 1 \; \text{Hz}`.

`f = 5 * 10^(14) \; \text{s}^(-1) =5 * 10^(14) \; \text{Hz}`.