161 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 161 Hz Wavelength?

A 161 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 2.13 meters, 213.18 cm, 6.99 feet (6 feet and 11.93 inches) or 83.93 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 = 161 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 2.13 meters, or 6.99 feet.

161 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 161 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 161 Hz wavelength (m)161 Hz wavelength (ft)
-40-401.90116.2373
-35-311.92146.3038
-30-221.94156.3697
-25-131.96136.4348
-20-41.98106.4993
-1552.00056.5632
-10142.01976.6265
-5232.03886.6891
0322.05786.7512
5412.07656.8127
10502.09516.8737
15592.11356.9341
20682.13186.9940
25772.14997.0534
30862.16787.1123
35952.18567.1707
401042.20337.2286

161 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 161 Hz sound wave is 1.07 meters, 106.59 cm, 3.5 feet (3 feet and 5.96 inches) or 41.96 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 161 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 161 Hz wavelength = 2.13 meters, or 6.99 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

161 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
11.073.50
22.136.99
33.2010.49
44.2613.99
55.3317.48
66.4020.98
77.4624.48
88.5327.98
99.5931.47
1010.6634.97
1111.7238.47
1212.7941.96
1313.8645.46
1414.9248.96
1515.9952.45

Given the relatively large 161 Hz half wavelength, standing waves will occur at that frequency in small listening rooms.

You can try to minimze the room modes at 161 Hz by trying different speaker positions, listening positions or by placing bass traps. These can absorb frequencies as low as 63 Hz.

How To Convert 161 Hz To ms

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

Because a 161 Hz wave will ocillate 161 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 = 161 Hz

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

1 / 161 Hz * 1000 = 6.21 ms.