How is the speed of a wave calculated?

The speed of a wave is calculated by multiplying its frequency by its wavelength. This relationship stems from the definition of wave speed, which represents how far the wave travels in a given amount of time.

Frequency refers to the number of wave cycles that pass a point in one second, while wavelength is the distance between consecutive similar points on the wave (like crest to crest or trough to trough). When these two quantities are multiplied together, you effectively determine the distance a wave travels in one second, which is the wave speed.

For example, if a wave has a frequency of 2 Hz (meaning two cycles per second) and a wavelength of 3 meters, the wave speed would be calculated as 2 Hz x 3 m = 6 m/s. This principle is fundamental in understanding various types of waves, from sound to light, and is key in many applications in physics.