838 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 838 Hz Wavelength?

A 838 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.41 meters, 40.96 cm, 1.34 feet (1 feet and 4.12 inches) or 16.12 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 = 838 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.41 meters, or 1.34 feet.

838 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 838 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 838 Hz wavelength (cm)838 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-4036.525414.3801
-35-3136.914914.5334
-30-2237.300414.6852
-25-1337.682014.8354
-20-438.059714.9841
-15538.433815.1314
-101438.804215.2772
-52339.171115.4217
03239.534615.5648
54139.894815.7066
105040.251815.8472
155940.605615.9865
206840.956416.1246
257741.304216.2615
308641.649116.3973
359541.991216.5320
4010442.330516.6655

838 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 838 Hz sound wave is 0.2 meters, 20.48 cm, 0.67 feet (0 feet and 8.06 inches) or 8.06 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 838 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 838 Hz wavelength = 0.41 meters, or 1.34 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

838 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.200.67
20.411.34
30.612.02
40.822.69
51.023.36

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

Given the relatively small 838 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 838 Hz To ms

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

Because a 838 Hz wave will ocillate 838 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 = 838 Hz

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

1 / 838 Hz * 1000 = 1.19 ms.