wavelength

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For more information on wavelength, visit Britannica.com.

The distance between two points on a wave which have the same value and the same rate of change of the value of a parameter, for example, electric intensity, characterizing the wave. The wavelength, usually designated by the Greek letter λ, is equal to the speed of propagation c of the wave divided by the frequency of vibration f; that is, λ = c/f (see illustration). See also Wave (physics); Wave motion.

Wavelength λ and related quantities.

For light waves or sound waves, the distance between two successive points of a periodic wave in the direction of propagation, in which the oscillation has the same phase; the distance the wave travels in one period. For light waves three common units of wavelength are: micrometer, nanometer, and angstrom.

(l) Distance between two points of corresponding phase and is equal to waveform velocity divided by frequency.

The distance between crests (or troughs) of a wave.

• Principles of Mechanics, Waves, and Measurement - wavelength: distance between corresponding phase points, such as two adjacent troughs or crests, on two successive waves
• Electricity and Electronics - wavelength: distance along wave between points of same phase
• Television Technology - wavelength: measurement of sound or light wave; frequency

Dansk (Danish)
n. - bølgelængde

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    være på bølgelængde med

Nederlands (Dutch)
golflengte

Français (French)
n. - (Phys, Radio) longueur d'ondes

idioms:

• on the same wavelength    être sur la même longueur d'onde que

Deutsch (German)
n. - Wellenlänge

idioms:

• on the same wavelength    dieselbe Wellenlänge haben

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (τεχνολ.) μήκος κύματος

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    βρίσκομαι στο ίδιο μήκος κύματος με..

Italiano (Italian)
lunghezza d'onda

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    essere sulla stessa lunghezza d'onda

Português (Portuguese)
n. - comprimento de onda (m)

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    estar de total acordo

Русский (Russian)
длина волны

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    понимать друг друга с полуслова

Español (Spanish)
n. - longitud de onda

idioms:

• on the same wavelength    estar en la misma onda

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - våglängd

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
波长

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    与...想法一致, 与...具有相同观点

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 波長

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    與...想法一致, 與...具有相同觀點

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 파장, 사고 방식

idioms:

• be on the same wavelength as    ~와 같은 파장으로, ~와 의기 투합하여

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 波長

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مسافه تقطعها الموجه بين قمتين متجاورتين, تفكير يؤدي إلى التفاهم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אורך גל, אופן חשיבה ותקשורת‬

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