What is the Frequency Formula & How to Calculate Frequency of a Wave?
In this article, you will learn the frequency formula and how to calculate the frequency of a wave.
What is Frequency?
It describes the number of waves passing through a fixed place in a given time. In physics, it is defined by the number of waves passing a unit of time. Frequency describes the number of vibrations that undergoes during one unit of time by a body. It is calculated in hertz.
In physics, frequency means how something repeats itself. For example, in the case of electrical current, it is the number of times a sine wave repeats or is complete.
Frequency Formula
The frequency is the ratio of the number of passing waves or vibrations per unit. Different types of frequency formulas depend on the type of quantity involved. It is denoted by f and is calculated as:
How to Calculate Frequency of a Wave?
In physics, it is easy to calculate the frequency of a wave by using its formula. So if an object is disturbed, the number of cycle of oscillation completed per unit of the given time is:
$$ f = \frac{1}{T} $$
Where,
T is the time period of completing one cycle of vibration.
f is frequency.
In other words, we can say that the frequency is the reciprocal of time period T. So, it can be calculated by this reciprocal. But here we are providing you a step-by-step method to measure frequency of any object.
- Find the number of cycles of vibrations or waves.
- Calculate the time for completing one cycle of vibration.
- Use the frequency formula by substituting the value of the number of vibration cycles and the time period.
See the below examples to understand how the frequency is calculated.
Related Formulas:
There are three formulas related to the frequency formula. These are
- Angular Frequency Formula
- Frequency Formula from wavelength
- Natural Frequency Formula
Angular Frequency Formula
The angular frequency is an important computation for an object having period motion. Angular frequency is the angular displacement of any element of the wave per unit time. The angular frequency formula is:
$$ f \;=\; \frac{ω}{2π} $$
Where, ω is the angular frequency.
Frequency Formula from Wavelength
The frequency formula in terms of wavelength and wave speed is given as,
$$ f \;=\; \frac{v}{λ} $$
Where,
v is the wave speed in m/s,
λ is the wavelength of the wave in m
Natural Frequency Formula
The natural Frequency is referred to the frequency of a natural object. If a natural object is disturbed, the natural frequency is the rate of its vibration per unit time. The natural frequency formula is same as angular frequency formula, that is:
$$ f \;=\; \frac{ω}{2π} $$
Where, ω is the angular frequency.
FAQ’s on Frequency Formula
What is the Formula for Frequency?
The formula of frequency is used to calculate frequency of any object. The frequency formula is the reciprocal of the time that the object takes to complete one cycle. So the formula is:
$$ f \;=\; \frac{1}{T} $$
What is the natural frequency of a body?
Natural frequency of an object is the frequency at which it tends to oscillate without any external force. The frequency of an elastic body having free oscillations is called natural frequency.
