856 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 856 Hz Wavelength?

A 856 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.4 meters, 40.1 cm, 1.32 feet (1 feet and 3.79 inches) or 15.79 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 = 856 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.4 meters, or 1.32 feet.

856 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 856 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 856 Hz wavelength (cm)856 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-4035.757314.0777
-35-3136.138714.2278
-30-2236.516114.3764
-25-1336.889614.5235
-20-437.259414.6691
-15537.625614.8132
-101437.988214.9560
-52338.347415.0974
03238.703315.2375
54139.055915.3763
105039.405415.5139
155939.751815.6503
206840.095215.7855
257740.435715.9195
308640.773316.0525
359541.108216.1843
4010441.440316.3151

856 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 856 Hz sound wave is 0.2 meters, 20.05 cm, 0.66 feet (0 feet and 7.89 inches) or 7.89 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 856 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 856 Hz wavelength = 0.4 meters, or 1.32 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

856 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.200.66
20.401.32
30.601.97
40.802.63
51.003.29

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

Given the relatively small 856 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 856 Hz To ms

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

Because a 856 Hz wave will ocillate 856 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 = 856 Hz

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

1 / 856 Hz * 1000 = 1.17 ms.