SPEED OF LIGHT SAMPLE PROBLEMS

PROBLEM: Find the frequency of an EM wave with a wavelength of 485.2 nm.

SOLUTION:
 will use the equation c = λν, solving for frequency gives:
c
ν=
λ

 Since c is in ms−1, the wavelength has to be in meters. You have the following relationship between meters
and nanometers:

1 m = 109 nm or 1 nm = 10−9 m

You will have to change the 485.2 nm to m. There are two ways you can do this:

o You can use the factor label method with one of the two conversion factors given above:

1m -7
485.2 nm ( 9
) = 4.852 x 10 m
10 nm

and then use that in place for λ in the equation

o of you simply add “x 10−9 ” to the 485.2 nm directly in the equation to change it to meters

8
3.00 x 10 ms-1 14
ν= -9
= 6.18 x 10 s-1
485.2 x 10 m

PROBLEM: Find the wavelength, in nm, of an EM wave with a frequency of 6.25 x 10 15.

SOLUTION:
 will use the equation c = λν, solving for wavelength gives:
c
λ=
ν
8
3.00 x 10 ms-1 -8
λ= 15
= 4.80 x 10 m
6.25 x 10 s-1

 Since want wavelength in nm, you need to convert using one of the conversion factors from above.

9
-8 10 nm
4.80 x 10 m( ) = 48.0 nm
1m