Difference between wavenumber and frequency
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Frequency is a measurement of the number of wave cycles per second.
Wavenumber is the reciprocal of the wavelength multiplied by a constant.
Although they look the same, the difference is that wavenumber has nothing to do with the velocity of the wave- wavenumber is measured in cm^-1, which doesn't include a time unit. This makes it useful for situations where the velocity or frequency are not fixed.
It has particular use in spectroscopy and quantum mechanics, where it is often a more convenient measurement than frequency or wavelength.
Wavenumber is the reciprocal of the wavelength multiplied by a constant.
Although they look the same, the difference is that wavenumber has nothing to do with the velocity of the wave- wavenumber is measured in cm^-1, which doesn't include a time unit. This makes it useful for situations where the velocity or frequency are not fixed.
It has particular use in spectroscopy and quantum mechanics, where it is often a more convenient measurement than frequency or wavelength.
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