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Questions tagged [wavelength]

The wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wave—the distance over which the wave's shape repeats, and the inverse of the spatial frequency or wavenumber. Determined by considering the distance between consecutive corresponding points of the same phase, such as crests. Use for wavenumber, wavelength, frequency.

13 votes
7 answers
2k views

Why does the length of an antenna matter when electromagnetic waves propagate perpendicular to the antenna?

The optimum length for a dipole antenna is a multiple of half the wavelength that it is designed to receive or emit. Why is this? If an electromagnetic wave has E in the x-axis, B in the y-axis, and ...
user411769's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
28 views

How to avoid symbol confusion when discussing both wavelengths and eigenvalues? [closed]

I'm about to start writing a larger assignment where I need to describe both wavelengths and eigenvalues. Traditionally, both of these are represented by $\lambda$, which can be confusing. Do you have ...
madsnibe's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
36 views

Understanding Loop Formation in a Plucked String

I have a question regarding the formation of loops when a string is plucked at different fractional lengths. In a book I referenced, it is stated that plucking a string at 1/6 of its length produces 3 ...
Engr Fahad Safi's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
69 views

At which wavelengths do photons behave like X-ray?

Hard X-rays of wavelengths of about an angstrom are very different than regular lights in a way that they can’t be reflected or refracted, which means their refractive index is always close to 1 ...
哲煜黄's user avatar
  • 1,455
11 votes
4 answers
2k views

Can the laser light, in principle, take any wavelength in the EM spectrum?

Can the laser light, in principle, take any wavelength in the EM spectrum? I don't think there is what prevent this in principle, right?
Jack's user avatar
  • 959
8 votes
4 answers
2k views

How can photons interact with nuclei?

How can photons such as X-rays or gamma rays interact with the nuclei of atoms given that, as I understand it, the length scale of a nucleus is around a couple of femtometers? So, shouldn’t the size ...
EigenDragon16's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
30 views

Why does oxygen green (S1) emission in aurorae only occur at lower altitudes? [duplicate]

Aurorae have a red color at high altitudes caused by the excitation of atomic oxygen and the subsequent emission at about $630 \,\text{nm}$. This happens at high altitudes because at that height there ...
jack_O'Dim's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
89 views

De Broglie wavelength and how it leads to the wave function

From what I know, de Broglie derived the wavelength equation using Einstein's $E=mc^2$ and the Einstein-Planck equation $E=h\nu$. My teacher explained this by saying an electron literally moves in ...
Darth Nandan's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
20 views

Wavelength and frequency of the peak of the black body radiation [duplicate]

Why does the product of the peak wavelength and the peak frequency of Planck's black body radiation not equal to the speed of light? $$λ_{\mathrm{max}}=\frac{hc}{4.97\mathrm{kT}},$$ while $$ν_{\mathrm{...
Yuan Liu's user avatar
  • 121
0 votes
1 answer
44 views

How does flute work?

I started learning flute a few months ago. Here in India you can buy two types of flute hindustani and carnatic. Hindustani flute has a simple acoustics. Lenth is inversely proportional to frequency. ...
Newtron Malayalam's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
111 views

Could the increasing anisotropy of the universe lead to an additional blueshift?

I'm contemplating the possible sources of a wavelength-shift within our universe: The CMB had a lot more energy when it was produced (around 3000 K). Due to the expansion of the universe, it has been ...
MartyMcFly's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
36 views

Does the energy of a photon in comoving space change?

Assuming a flat FLRW universe that is expanding: In comoving space, does the energy of a photon decrease or stay constant? A physical argument for this would be nice.
Matrix23's user avatar
  • 1,212
0 votes
2 answers
54 views

Why is the shorter the wavelength, the smaller the object you can image? and vice-versa?

I know that the shorter the wavelength the smaller the object you can image clearly. Why wavelength matters in imaging something? How having big wavelength wont let u image smaller object, like if u ...
nishat tahsin's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
14k views

Light waves can't have a wavelength

The wave nature of light comes from Maxwell's equations. More precisely, the two wave equations that come from them: $$\Delta\vec{E}=\mu\varepsilon \frac{\partial^2\vec{E}}{\partial t^2}\\ \Delta\vec{...
Krum Kutsarov's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
52 views

Minimum frequency for a dipole antenna to work

Does a dipole antenna need a minimum frequency of AC to make the electric field detach and propagate?
Simon Lin's user avatar
  • 156

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