The FM radio station WQOK has a Longer Wavelength Compared to WRAL

Which FM radio station has a longer wavelength, WQOK or WRAL?

Frequency of radio station WQOK = 97.5 hertz

Frequency of radio station WRAL = 101.5 hertz

Answer:

The FM radio station WQOK, which broadcasts at a frequency of 97.5 hertz, has the longer wavelength compared to WRAL, which broadcasts at a higher frequency of 101.5 hertz.

In physics, the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave is inversely proportional to its frequency. This means that radio waves with lower frequencies have longer wavelengths, while those with higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths.

Applying this concept to the frequencies of radio stations WQOK and WRAL, we can determine that WQOK, with a frequency of 97.5 hertz, has a longer wavelength compared to WRAL with a frequency of 101.5 hertz. The relationship between frequency, wavelength, and the speed of light is governed by the formula c = λf, where c is the speed of light, λ is the wavelength, and f is the frequency.

Since the speed of light is a constant value, the wavelength of a radio wave is determined by its frequency. Therefore, in this case, WQOK has a longer wavelength because it has a lower frequency compared to WRAL. This demonstrates the inverse relationship between frequency and wavelength for electromagnetic waves.