Frequency Sets Wavelength - Biophysical Ultrasound: Echo Timing and Acoustic Interfaces Step by Step

The lesson below is generated from the static physics source.

The wavelength is fixed by sound speed divided by frequency. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

Wavelength is speed divided by frequency

Sound speed 12 meters per second divided by frequency 3 hertz gives wavelength 4 meters.

\lambda=\frac{12}{3}=4\ \text{m}

The small frequency is a training value

The value 3 hertz is chosen so the wavelength stays exact at 4 meters.

12\ \text{m/s}=3\ \text{Hz}\cdot 4\ \text{m}