Sound Wavelength Calculator — Frequency to Wavelength

At 20°C (speed of sound = 343 m/s), a 1 kHz sound has a wavelength of 0.343 metres (34.3 cm). Lower frequencies have longer wavelengths — a 100 Hz bass note has a wavelength of about 3.43 metres.

The speed of sound in air increases with temperature because warmer air molecules move faster. At 0°C sound travels at about 331 m/s, at 20°C about 343 m/s, and at 30°C about 349 m/s. Since wavelength = speed / frequency, higher temperature means slightly longer wavelengths.

Wavelength determines how sound interacts with physical objects. Surfaces must be comparable in size to the wavelength to effectively absorb, reflect or diffuse sound. This is why bass traps need to be large (bass wavelengths are metres long) while high-frequency absorbers can be thin.