Wavelength and Frequency : General Chemistry

Question

Visible light has wavelengths from 400 to 700 nm, whereas the wavelength region for gamma ray radiation is 1.0×10^-16 to 1.0×10^-11 m.

We can say that:

1. The frequency of visible light is _____ gamma ray radiation

higher than

lower than

the same as

2. The speed of visible light is  _______  gamma ray radiation.

higher than

lower than

the same as

Answer 1

400 nm x 1x10^-9 m / nm = 4x10^-7 m

700 nm x 1x10^-9 m / nm = 7x10^-7 m

Compared to 1x10^-16 and 1x10^-11 m this shows that visible light has a longer wavelength than gamma rays.

Since wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency, that means the frequency of visible light is lower than gamma rays.

speed of light c = 3x10⁸ m/s and is a constant when measured in a vacuum. So, assuming the speed of light of visible and gamma rays was determined under identical conditions, it would be the same.