511 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 511 Hz Wavelength?

A 511 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.67 meters, 67.17 cm, 2.2 feet (2 feet and 2.44 inches) or 26.44 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 = 511 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.67 meters, or 2.2 feet.

511 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 511 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 511 Hz wavelength (cm)511 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-4059.898723.5822
-35-3160.537623.8337
-30-2261.169824.0826
-25-1361.795524.3290
-20-462.415024.5728
-15563.028424.8143
-101463.635825.0535
-52364.237525.2904
03264.833725.5251
54165.424425.7576
105066.009825.9881
155966.590026.2166
206867.165326.4430
257767.735726.6676
308668.301326.8903
359568.862227.1111
4010469.418627.3302

511 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 511 Hz sound wave is 0.34 meters, 33.58 cm, 1.1 feet (1 feet and 1.22 inches) or 13.22 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 511 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 511 Hz wavelength = 0.67 meters, or 2.2 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

511 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.341.10
20.672.20
31.013.31
41.344.41
51.685.51

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

Given the relatively small 511 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 511 Hz To ms

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

Because a 511 Hz wave will ocillate 511 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 = 511 Hz

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

1 / 511 Hz * 1000 = 1.96 ms.