If the wavelength of light decreases while the speed of light remains constant, the frequency of the light increases. Conversely, if the wavelength increases while the speed of light remains constant, the frequency decreases. If the wavelength stays constant, the frequency also remains constant.
This relationship between wavelength and frequency is a consequence of the wave nature of light and is described by the equation:
c = λν
where c is the speed of light, λ (lambda) represents the wavelength, and ν (nu) represents the frequency.
To understand why this happens, consider a wave traveling through space. The speed of light is constant, so if the wavelength decreases, it means that the same number of wave cycles must pass through a given point in space in a shorter amount of time. This increased number of wave cycles per unit time corresponds to an increase in frequency.
Conversely, if the wavelength increases, the number of wave cycles passing through a given point in space decreases in a given amount of time, resulting in a lower frequency.
The equation c = λν is a fundamental relationship that holds for all types of waves, including light. It captures the inverse relationship between wavelength and frequency, indicating that as one quantity changes, the other must change in the opposite direction in order to maintain the constant speed of light.