In the physical sciences, the wavenumber is a property of a wave, its spatial frequency, that is

proportional to the reciprocal of the wavelength. It is also the magnitude of the wave vector. Its
usual symbols are , , or k, the first three used for one definition, the last for another. The
wavenumber has dimensions of reciprocal length, so its SI unit is m-1 and cgs unit cm1 (in this
context formerly called the kayser, after Heinrich Kayser).

, the number of wavelengths per unit distance, where is the wavelength,

sometimes termed the spectroscopic wavenumber, or

,the number of wavelengths per 2 units of distance, sometimes termed

the angular or circular wavenumber, but more often simply wavenumber.

For electromagnetic radiation in vacuum, wavenumber is proportional to frequency and to

photon energy. Because of this, wavenumbers are used as a unit of energy in spectroscopy. In
the SI units, wavenumber is expressed in units of reciprocal meters (m1), but in spectroscopy
it is usual to give wavenumbers in reciprocal centimeters (cm1). The angular wavenumber is
expressed in radians per meter (radm1).
The term wave number refers to the number of complete wave cycles of an electromagnetic field
(EM field) that exist in one meter (1 m) of linear space. Wave number is expressed in reciprocal
meters (m-1).
In physics, the wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wavethe distance over
which the wave's shape repeats.[1] It is usually determined by considering the distance between
consecutive corresponding points of the same phase, such as crests, troughs, or zero crossings, and
is a characteristic of both traveling waves and standing waves, as well as other spatial wave
patterns.[2][3] Wavelength is commonly designated by the Greek letter lambda (). The concept can
also be applied to periodic waves of non-sinusoidal shape.[1][4] The term wavelength is also
sometimes applied to modulated waves, and to the sinusoidal envelopes of modulated waves or
waves formed by interference of several sinusoids.[5] The SI unit of wavelength is the meter.
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as
temporal frequency. The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is
the reciprocal of the frequency. For example, if a newborn baby's heart beats at a frequency of 120
times a minute, its period (the interval between beats) is half a second.
Number of waves that pass a fixed point per unit time; also, the number of cycles or vibrations
undergone in unit time by a body in periodic motion. Frequency is the reciprocal of the time taken to
complete one cycle (the period), or 1/. The frequency with which earth rotates is once per 24 hours.
Frequency is usually expressed in units called hertz (Hz). One hertz is equal to one cycle per second;
one kilohertz (kHz) is 1,000 Hz, and one megahertz (MHz) is 1,000,000 Hz. The musical pitch A above
middle C (the A string of a violin) has been widely standardized as 440 Hz.
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