A light wave in vacuum has a wavelength of 500 nm. What is its frequency?

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Multiple Choice

A light wave in vacuum has a wavelength of 500 nm. What is its frequency?

Explanation:
Light in vacuum travels at the speed c, and its frequency f is tied to its wavelength by f = c/λ. Converting the given wavelength: 500 nm = 5.00 × 10^-7 m. Using c ≈ 3.00 × 10^8 m/s, the frequency is f ≈ (3.00 × 10^8) / (5.00 × 10^-7) = 6.00 × 10^14 Hz. So the frequency is 6.0 × 10^14 Hz. This value sits in the visible range (around 600 THz corresponds to about 500 nm). If you plugged different frequencies, they would imply wavelengths far from 500 nm, which is why they don’t fit the given wavelength.

Light in vacuum travels at the speed c, and its frequency f is tied to its wavelength by f = c/λ. Converting the given wavelength: 500 nm = 5.00 × 10^-7 m. Using c ≈ 3.00 × 10^8 m/s, the frequency is f ≈ (3.00 × 10^8) / (5.00 × 10^-7) = 6.00 × 10^14 Hz. So the frequency is 6.0 × 10^14 Hz. This value sits in the visible range (around 600 THz corresponds to about 500 nm). If you plugged different frequencies, they would imply wavelengths far from 500 nm, which is why they don’t fit the given wavelength.

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