why do the frequency of a wave decrease as the wavelength increase?

Answer 1

Think of it this way. You have a box. In the box are a certain number of waves.

If you put a million waves in that box, they're going to have to be pretty close together. Theres a large amount of waves (high frequency) but the distance between them has to be small (low wavelength).

Or you can put just two waves in the box. Comparatively, they can be quite a ways apart. Low frequency, high wavelength.

There just isn't a way to stuff waves in that box so that you can both have lots of them AND keep them far apart. Not without breaking your box, anyway. And that's a big mess!

Answer 2

I know I am incorporating physics into it, but your question involves physics, and it is really easy to understand with the help of physics.
So, the equation goes:
V = f λ

where,
V = velocity of a wave
f = frequency of the wave
λ = wavelength of the wave.

Re-writing this equation in terms of frequency, we get:
f = V / λ

We can easily see that if λ increases, meaning that if λ is a big number, then the value of f will get smaller and smaller.
Hence, the frequency decreases as the wavelength increases.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

the respond is deceptively straightforward. that's only because of the fact the cost of EM waves is continuing, and the cost is the made from the frequency and wavelength. Frequency is measured in Hz, that's a million/s, and wavelength is measured in meters, m. You multiply those 2, and you get m/s, or velocity, v. V = FW and if V is continuing and W decreases, F has to improve to compensate. Thank Einstein for proving that the cost of sunshine is continuing in all reference frames. it is his fault, lol...

Answer 4

simple. It goes at the same speed no matter what the frequency is. If it has a low frequency, there are fewer waves travelling past a point per second so the wavelength has to be longer.

Answer 5

Even waves comply with the law of Conservation of Energy