Do light waves have a longer or shorter wavelength than radio waves?

Do light waves have a longer or shorter wavelength than radio waves?

• A. Longer wavelength
• B. Shorter wavelength
• C. About the same
• D. Wavelength depends on color

Answer: (B)

Light waves sit in the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelength and frequency linked by λ ≈ c/f. Since frequency and wavelength are inversely related, a higher frequency means a shorter wavelength. Radio waves have much lower frequencies (from kHz up to GHz) and therefore much longer wavelengths (centimeters to kilometers). Visible light has very high frequencies (around 4×10^14 to 7×10^14 Hz), which correspond to wavelengths of roughly 400–700 nanometers. Because of this difference in frequency, light waves have shorter wavelengths than radio waves.

Light waves sit in the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelength and frequency linked by λ ≈ c/f. Since frequency and wavelength are inversely related, a higher frequency means a shorter wavelength. Radio waves have much lower frequencies (from kHz up to GHz) and therefore much longer wavelengths (centimeters to kilometers). Visible light has very high frequencies (around 4×10^14 to 7×10^14 Hz), which correspond to wavelengths of roughly 400–700 nanometers. Because of this difference in frequency, light waves have shorter wavelengths than radio waves.