Relationship between frequency and wavelength

[MedPR]

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BR says v=lambda(frequency).

Then it says the relationship between frequency and wavelength is not linear.

Why/how is it not linear?

Then it says that the relationship between speed and lambda is linear.

 

[milski]

frequency = v * 1/lambda

Frequency is proportional to 1/lambda. It has to be proportional to lambda to be linear.

 

[MedPR]

frequency = v * 1/lambda

Frequency is proportional to 1/lambda. It has to be proportional to lambda to be linear.

So indirectly proportional is not linear, but directly proportional is?

I guess I thought everything was linearly related as long as there weren't any non-1 exponents involved.

 

[milski]

So indirectly proportional is not linear, but directly proportional is?

I guess I thought everything was linearly related as long as there weren't any non-1 exponents involved.

You are correct, the power has to be 1 but 1/lambda = lambda^(-1) and -1 is not the same as 1. For linearity you really need a=kb.

 

[MedPR]

You are correct, the power has to be 1 but 1/lambda = lambda^(-1) and -1 is not the same as 1. For linearity you really need a=kb.

Ok thank you!