To determine the wavelength of the sound wave, we need to use the formula:
wavelength = speed of sound / frequency
The speed of sound in air is approximately 343 meters per second at room temperature.
Given that the sound wave has a frequency of 500 Hz and an echo is received three seconds later, we can calculate the wavelength as follows:
wavelength = (speed of sound) / (frequency) wavelength = 343 m/s / 500 Hz wavelength ≈ 0.686 meters or 68.6 centimeters
Therefore, the wavelength of the sound wave is approximately 0.686 meters or 68.6 centimeters.