How are frequency and wavelength related for electromagnetic waves?

For electromagnetic radiation, frequency and wavelength are inversely related. Because these waves travel through space at a constant speed—the speed of light, denoted as c—the product of the frequency (f) and the wavelength ($\lambda$) is always equal to that speed.1

This relationship is expressed by the following formula:
$$f=\frac{c}{\lambda }$$

In this equation:
* f represents the number of cycles per second, measured in hertz.1
* c is the speed of the wave, approximately $3\times {10}^8$ meters per second.12
* $\lambda$ is the distance between consecutive wave crests.1

Because the speed c is constant, a higher frequency necessarily corresponds to a shorter wavelength, while a lower frequency corresponds to a longer wavelength.1