978 Hz Wavelength

How Long Is a 978 Hz Wavelength?

A 978 Hz sound wave has a wavelength of 0.35 meters, 35.09 cm, 1.15 feet (1 feet and 1.82 inches) or 13.82 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 = 978 Hz
which gives a wavelength λ of 0.35 meters, or 1.15 feet.

978 Hz Wavelength Depending on Temperature

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature. Here is how the wavelenght of a 978 Hz sound wave will vary according to temperature:

Temp (°C) Temp (°F) 978 Hz wavelength (cm)978 Hz wavelength (in)
-40-4031.296812.3216
-35-3131.630612.4530
-30-2231.960912.5830
-25-1332.287812.7118
-20-432.611512.8392
-15532.932012.9654
-101433.249413.0903
-52333.563813.2141
03233.875313.3367
54134.183913.4582
105034.489813.5786
155934.793013.6980
206835.093513.8163
257735.391513.9337
308635.687114.0500
359535.980214.1654
4010436.270914.2799

978 Hz Half Wavelength and Standing Waves

The half wavelength of a 978 Hz sound wave is 0.18 meters, 17.55 cm, 0.58 feet (0 feet and 6.91 inches) or 6.91 inches when travelling in air at 20°C (68°F).

Modes (or standing waves) will occur at 978 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 978 Hz wavelength = 0.35 meters, or 1.15 feet in air at 20°C (68°F).

978 Hz Standing Waves Distances

n Distance (m) Distance (ft)
10.180.58
20.351.15
30.531.73
40.702.30
50.882.88

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

Given the relatively small 978 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 978 Hz To ms

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

Because a 978 Hz wave will ocillate 978 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 = 978 Hz

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

1 / 978 Hz * 1000 = 1.02 ms.