286 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 286 Hz Wavelength?

A 286 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 1.2 meters, 120.01 cm, 3.94 feet (3 feet and 11.25 inches) or 47.25 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 = 286 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 1.2 meters, or 3.94 feet.

286 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 286 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 286 Hz wavelength (m)286 Hz wavelength (ft)
-40-401.07023.5112
-35-311.08163.5487
-30-221.09293.5857
-25-131.10413.6224
-20-41.11523.6587
-1551.12613.6947
-10141.13703.7303
-5231.14773.7656
0321.15843.8005
5411.16893.8351
10501.17943.8694
15591.18983.9035
20681.20013.9372
25771.21023.9706
30861.22034.0038
35951.23044.0366
401041.24034.0693

286 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 286 Hz sound wave is 0.6 meters, 60 cm, 1.97 feet (1 feet and 11.62 inches) or 23.62 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 286 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 286 Hz wavelength = 1.2 meters, or 3.94 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

286 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.601.97
21.203.94
31.805.91
42.407.87
53.009.84
63.6011.81
74.2013.78
84.8015.75
95.4017.72
106.0019.69
116.6021.65
127.2023.62
137.8025.59
148.4027.56
159.0029.53
169.6031.50
1710.2033.47
1810.8035.43
1911.4037.40
2012.0039.37
2112.6041.34
2213.2043.31
2313.8045.28
2414.4047.25
2515.0049.21

Given the relatively large 286 Hz half wavelength, standing waves will occur at that frequency in small listening rooms.

You can try to minimze the room modes at 286 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 286 Hz To ms

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

Because a 286 Hz wave will ocillate 286 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 = 286 Hz

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

1 / 286 Hz * 1000 = 3.5 ms.