What does a higher frequency signal imply about the wavelength?

What does a higher frequency signal imply about the wavelength?

• A. Larger wavelength
• B. Shorter wavelength
• C. No effect on wavelength
• D. A constant wavelength

Answer: (B)

A higher frequency signal implies a shorter wavelength due to the relationship defined by the equation that connects frequency (f), wavelength (λ), and the speed of light (c). This relationship is expressed as c = f * λ, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately 299,792,458 meters per second). When frequency increases, it means that the signal oscillates more times per second. Consequently, if you were to maintain the speed of light constant, a higher frequency must result in a shorter wavelength. This inverse relationship signifies that as the frequency of a wave increases, the wavelength becomes shorter, effectively packing more cycles of the wave into a given distance. Understanding this relationship is crucial in radio communications, as different frequency bands used in amateur radio have specific propagation characteristics associated with their wavelengths. For practical applications, higher frequency signals generally allow for smaller antenna sizes, as antennas are typically designed to be a fraction of the wavelength they transmit or receive.

A higher frequency signal implies a shorter wavelength due to the relationship defined by the equation that connects frequency (f), wavelength (λ), and the speed of light (c). This relationship is expressed as c = f * λ, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately 299,792,458 meters per second).

When frequency increases, it means that the signal oscillates more times per second. Consequently, if you were to maintain the speed of light constant, a higher frequency must result in a shorter wavelength. This inverse relationship signifies that as the frequency of a wave increases, the wavelength becomes shorter, effectively packing more cycles of the wave into a given distance.

Understanding this relationship is crucial in radio communications, as different frequency bands used in amateur radio have specific propagation characteristics associated with their wavelengths. For practical applications, higher frequency signals generally allow for smaller antenna sizes, as antennas are typically designed to be a fraction of the wavelength they transmit or receive.