278 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 278 Hz Wavelength?

A 278 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 1.23 meters, 123.46 cm, 4.05 feet (4 feet and 0.61 inches) or 48.61 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 = 278 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 1.23 meters, or 4.05 feet.

278 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 278 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 278 Hz wavelength (m)278 Hz wavelength (ft)
-40-401.10103.6123
-35-311.11283.6508
-30-221.12443.6889
-25-131.13593.7266
-20-41.14733.7640
-1551.15853.8010
-10141.16973.8376
-5231.18083.8739
0321.19173.9099
5411.20263.9455
10501.21333.9808
15591.22404.0158
20681.23464.0505
25771.24514.0849
30861.25554.1190
35951.26584.1528
401041.27604.1864

278 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 278 Hz sound wave is 0.62 meters, 61.73 cm, 2.03 feet (2 feet and 0.3 inches) or 24.3 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 278 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 278 Hz wavelength = 1.23 meters, or 4.05 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

278 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.622.03
21.234.05
31.856.08
42.478.10
53.0910.13
63.7012.15
74.3214.18
84.9416.20
95.5618.23
106.1720.25
116.7922.28
127.4124.30
138.0226.33
148.6428.35
159.2630.38
169.8832.40
1710.4934.43
1811.1136.45
1911.7338.48
2012.3540.50
2112.9642.53
2213.5844.56
2314.2046.58
2414.8248.61
2515.4350.63

Given the relatively large 278 Hz half wavelength, standing waves will occur at that frequency in small listening rooms.

You can try to minimze the room modes at 278 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 278 Hz To ms

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

Because a 278 Hz wave will ocillate 278 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 = 278 Hz

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

1 / 278 Hz * 1000 = 3.6 ms.