AP Physics 2 Exam Question:

The frequency of a sound wave traveling through a medium is 500 Hz. The speed of sound in this medium is 340 m/s. Calculate the wavelength of this sound wave.

Answer and Explanation:

The speed of a wave is given by the equation:

v = λf

where v is the wave speed, λ is the wavelength, and f is the frequency.

Given:

v = 340 m/s f = 500 Hz

We can rearrange the equation to solve for the wavelength:

λ = v / f

Plugging in the given values:

λ = 340 m/s / 500 Hz

To simplify the calculation, we can convert the frequency from Hz to 1/s (or s⁻¹) by dividing it by 1 Hz:

λ = 340 m/s / (500 s⁻¹)

λ = 0.68 m

Therefore, the wavelength of the sound wave is 0.68 meters.