16,000 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 16000 Hz Wavelength?

A 16000 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.02 meters, 2.15 cm, 0.07 feet (0 feet and 0.84 inches) or 0.84 inches when traveling in air at 20°C (68°F).

The formula for the wavelenght is λ = c/f where:

  • c is the celerity (speed) of sound = 343.21 m/s or 1126.03 ft/s in air at 20°C (68°F).
  • f is the frequency = 16000 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.02 meters, or 0.07 feet.

16000 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 16000 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 16000 Hz wavelength (cm)16000 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-401.91300.7532
-35-311.93340.7612
-30-221.95360.7691
-25-131.97360.7770
-20-41.99340.7848
-1552.01300.7925
-10142.03240.8001
-5232.05160.8077
0322.07060.8152
5412.08950.8226
10502.10820.8300
15592.12670.8373
20682.14510.8445
25772.16330.8517
30862.18140.8588
35952.19930.8659
401042.21710.8729

16000 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 16000 Hz sound wave is 0.01 meters, 1.07 cm, 0.04 feet (0 feet and 0.42 inches) or 0.42 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 16000 Hz in rooms where two opposing walls (axial mode), edges (tangential mode) or corners (oblique mode) are spaced by a distance d = nλ/2 where:

  • n is a natural (positive integer greater than or equal to 1)
  • λ is the 16000 Hz wavelength = 0.02 meters, or 0.07 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

16000 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.010.04
20.020.07
30.030.11
40.040.14
50.050.18

We typically don't treat rooms for standing waves above 300 Hz.

Given the relatively small 16000 Hz half wavelength, you can treat your room by using thick acoustic foam. This will absorb frequencies as low as 250 Hz, and all the way up to 20,000 Hz.

How To Convert 16000 Hz To ms

A Hz (Hertz) is a cycle (or period) per second.

Because a 16000 Hz wave will ocillate 16000 times per second, we can find the time of a single cycle (or period) with the formula p = 1/f where:

  • f is the frequency of the wave = 16000 Hz

The result will be expressed in seconds, so let's multiply by 1000 to get miliseconds:

1 / 16000 Hz * 1000 = 0.06 ms.