502 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 502 Hz Wavelength?

A 502 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.68 meters, 68.37 cm, 2.24 feet (2 feet and 2.92 inches) or 26.92 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 = 502 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.68 meters, or 2.24 feet.

502 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 502 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 502 Hz wavelength (cm)502 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-4060.972624.0050
-35-3161.622924.2610
-30-2262.266524.5144
-25-1362.903424.7651
-20-463.534025.0134
-15564.158325.2592
-101464.776725.5026
-52365.389225.7438
03265.996025.9827
54166.597326.2194
105067.193226.4540
155967.783926.6866
206868.369426.9171
257768.950027.1457
308669.525827.3724
359570.096827.5972
4010470.663227.8202

502 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 502 Hz sound wave is 0.34 meters, 34.18 cm, 1.12 feet (1 feet and 1.46 inches) or 13.46 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 502 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 502 Hz wavelength = 0.68 meters, or 2.24 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

502 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.341.12
20.682.24
31.033.36
41.374.49
51.715.61

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

Given the relatively small 502 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 502 Hz To ms

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

Because a 502 Hz wave will ocillate 502 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 = 502 Hz

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

1 / 502 Hz * 1000 = 1.99 ms.