Tutoring physics 11, this topic comes up most years.  The tutor introduces the formula that relates speed to wavelength and frequency.

Most people know that what makes sounds different is that they have different frequencies.  Moreover, a high pitched sound has a higher frequency than a low pitched one.  Likely, that’s whence the idea of “high note” vs “low note” originates.

Every wave has not only a frequency, but also a wavelength.  The two go hand in hand according to the formula

v=fλ

where
v means velocity (which, for this purpose, can be reduced to speed),
f means frequency
λ means wavelength

Dividing both sides by f, we arrive at a formula for the wavelength, λ:

v/f=λ

As I mentioned in my January 13 post, the speed of sound s is given by

s=(332 + 0.6T)m/s

where T is the temperature in degrees Celsius.

Let’s imagine, for temperature, a pleasant 20C. We have, for the speed of sound,

s=(332+0.6(20))m/s=344m/s

Since speed and velocity are, for this purpose, the same, we can say that v=344.

Next, we need f, the frequency. Specifically, in this case, we want the frequency of “middle” F, which is meant to be the F just three keys above middle C. The physics dept at Michigan Tech provides this handy page, informing us that the F above middle C has frequency 349.23Hz.

With v=344 and f=349.23, we are ready to find the wavelength of middle F:

v/f=344/349.23=0.985m=λ

Therefore, the wavelength of middle F, at 20°C, is 0.985m or 98.5cm.

HTH:)

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.