American Chemical Society (ACS) Chemistry Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The correct relationship between frequency and wavelength in electromagnetic radiation is that they are inversely proportional. This means that as the frequency of the radiation increases, the wavelength decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is mathematically described by the equation:

\[ c = \lambda \nu \]

where \( c \) is the speed of light in a vacuum, \( \lambda \) is the wavelength, and \( \nu \) (nu) is the frequency. Since the speed of light is a constant value, if the frequency increases, the wavelength must decrease in order to maintain the equality. This inverse relationship is fundamental to understanding various phenomena in physics and chemistry, such as the behavior of light and how it interacts with matter.

In contrast, being directly proportional would imply that an increase in one would lead to an increase in the other, which does not hold true for electromagnetic radiation. The options stating that they are not related or that they depend on temperature also do not accurately describe the well-established relationship governed by the principles of wave mechanics and electromagnetic theory.