The wavelength of the yellow light given off by a sodium vapor street lamp is 589 nm.What is the frequency of this light in hertz (s^-¹)? A)5.09 x 10⁵ s^-¹ B)5.09 x 10¹⁴ s^-¹ C)1.96 x 10^-⁶ s^-¹ D)1.96 x 10^-¹³ s^-¹ E)1.77 x 10² s^-¹

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The formula relating wavelength and frequency is:
c = λf
where c is the speed of light (which is a constant equal to 2.998 x 10^8 m/s), λ is the wavelength, and f is the frequency.
Rearranging the formula, we get:
f = c/λ
Plugging in the values given in the problem, we get:
f = (2.998 x 10^8 m/s)/(589 x 10^-9 m)
f = 5.09 x 10^14 Hz
Therefore, the correct answer is option B: 5.09 x 10^14 Hz.

The Wavelength of the Yellow Light Given Off by a Sodium