3,900 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 3900 Hz Wavelength?

A 3900 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.09 meters, 8.8 cm, 0.29 feet (0 feet and 3.46 inches) or 3.46 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 = 3900 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.09 meters, or 0.29 feet.

3900 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 3900 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 3900 Hz wavelength (cm)3900 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-407.84833.0899
-35-317.93203.1228
-30-228.01483.1554
-25-138.09683.1877
-20-48.17803.2197
-1558.25833.2513
-10148.33793.2826
-5238.41683.3137
0328.49493.3444
5418.57233.3749
10508.64903.4051
15598.72503.4350
20688.80043.4647
25778.87513.4941
30868.94923.5233
35959.02273.5523
401049.09563.5810

3900 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 3900 Hz sound wave is 0.04 meters, 4.4 cm, 0.14 feet (0 feet and 1.73 inches) or 1.73 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 3900 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 3900 Hz wavelength = 0.09 meters, or 0.29 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

3900 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.040.14
20.090.29
30.130.43
40.180.58
50.220.72

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

Given the relatively small 3900 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 3900 Hz To ms

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

Because a 3900 Hz wave will ocillate 3900 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 = 3900 Hz

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

1 / 3900 Hz * 1000 = 0.26 ms.