To find the frequency of a microwave given its wavelength, we can use the formula:
v = λ * f
Where:
- v is the velocity of the wave (approximately equal to the speed of light in a vacuum, which is 2.998 x 10^8 meters per second)
- λ is the wavelength of the wave
- f is the frequency of the wave
First, we need to convert the wavelength from centimeters to meters. Since 1 meter is equal to 100 centimeters, the wavelength of 1.60 cm is equal to 0.016 meters (1.60 cm / 100 cm/m).
Now, we can rearrange the formula to solve for frequency (f):
f = v / λ
Plugging in the values:
f = 2.998 x 10^8 m/s / 0.016 m
Calculating this expression, we find:
f ≈ 1.874 x 10^10 Hz
Therefore, a microwave with a wavelength of 1.60 cm has a frequency of approximately 1.874 x 10^10 Hz (or 18.74 GHz).