17,000 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 17000 Hz Wavelength?

A 17000 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.02 meters, 2.02 cm, 0.07 feet (0 feet and 0.79 inches) or 0.79 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 = 17000 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.02 meters, or 0.07 feet.

17000 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 17000 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 17000 Hz wavelength (cm)17000 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-401.80050.7089
-35-311.81970.7164
-30-221.83870.7239
-25-131.85750.7313
-20-41.87610.7386
-1551.89460.7459
-10141.91280.7531
-5231.93090.7602
0321.94880.7673
5411.96660.7742
10501.98420.7812
15592.00160.7880
20682.01890.7948
25772.03610.8016
30862.05310.8083
35952.06990.8149
401042.08660.8215

17000 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 17000 Hz sound wave is 0.01 meters, 1.01 cm, 0.03 feet (0 feet and 0.4 inches) or 0.4 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 17000 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 17000 Hz wavelength = 0.02 meters, or 0.07 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

17000 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.010.03
20.020.07
30.030.10
40.040.13
50.050.17

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

Given the relatively small 17000 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 17000 Hz To ms

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

Because a 17000 Hz wave will ocillate 17000 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 = 17000 Hz

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

1 / 17000 Hz * 1000 = 0.06 ms.