Are Hz and s⁻¹ the Same for Wave Frequency?

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SUMMARY

Hertz (Hz) and s⁻¹ are equivalent units for measuring wave frequency, both representing cycles per second. In the context of wave calculations, the formula for wavelength is λ = v/f, where v is the speed of sound in the medium and f is the frequency. For example, with a frequency of 1000 s⁻¹ (or 1000 Hz) and a speed of sound of 1230 m/s, the correct wavelength calculation yields 1.23 m, not 0.001. Misapplication of the formula can lead to incorrect results.

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jnimagine
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i have a question about the frequency of a wave. I thought it was measured in Hz but sometimes in the textbook it said it's measured in
s-1 (-1 in superscript lol)
are they both the same thing?
but in one of the questions it asked to calculate the wavelength in the substance if the frequency is 1000s-1 and the speed of sound in the medium is 1230m/s
If 1000s-1 is the same thing as 1000Hz, why do i get a wrong answer?
I had to use 1000-1 (which is 0.001) to calculate this problem
So what's the difference between the two? :confused:
 
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jnimagine said:
i have a question about the frequency of a wave. I thought it was measured in Hz but sometimes in the textbook it said it's measured in
s-1 (-1 in superscript lol)
are they both the same thing?
but in one of the questions it asked to calculate the wavelength in the substance if the frequency is 1000s-1 and the speed of sound in the medium is 1230m/s
If 1000s-1 is the same thing as 1000Hz, why do i get a wrong answer?
I had to use 1000-1 (which is 0.001) to calculate this problem
So what's the difference between the two? :confused:
A hertz is a fancy name for 'cycles per second' and has the unit of s^{-1}. So f = 1000Hz = 1000 cycles/sec = 1000s^{-1}. In your wavelength problem, you may have transposed the formula. wavelength \lamda = v/f =1230/1000 = .001(1230) = 1.2m
 

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