870 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 870 Hz Wavelength?

A 870 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.39 meters, 39.45 cm, 1.29 feet (1 feet and 3.53 inches) or 15.53 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 = 870 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.39 meters, or 1.29 feet.

870 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 870 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 870 Hz wavelength (cm)870 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-4035.181913.8511
-35-3135.557113.9989
-30-2235.928514.1451
-25-1336.296014.2898
-20-436.659814.4330
-15537.020114.5748
-101437.376914.7153
-52337.730314.8545
03238.080514.9923
54138.427415.1289
105038.771315.2643
155939.112115.3985
206839.450015.5315
257739.785015.6634
308640.117215.7942
359540.446715.9239
4010440.773516.0526

870 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 870 Hz sound wave is 0.2 meters, 19.72 cm, 0.65 feet (0 feet and 7.77 inches) or 7.77 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 870 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 870 Hz wavelength = 0.39 meters, or 1.29 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

870 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.200.65
20.391.29
30.591.94
40.792.59
50.993.24

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

Given the relatively small 870 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 870 Hz To ms

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

Because a 870 Hz wave will ocillate 870 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 = 870 Hz

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

1 / 870 Hz * 1000 = 1.15 ms.