What happens to frequency and energy as the wavelength decreases?

As the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation decreases, both frequency and energy increase. This relationship is grounded in fundamental physics principles, specifically the wave equation and the energy equation.

The speed of light ( c ) is constant in a vacuum and is given by the relationship ( c = \lambda f ), where ( \lambda ) is the wavelength and ( f ) is the frequency. When the wavelength ( ( \lambda ) ) decreases, the frequency ( ( f ) ) must increase to keep the equation balanced, since the speed of light remains constant.

In addition, the energy of a photon is related to its frequency by the equation ( E = hf ), where ( E ) is the energy and ( h ) is Planck’s constant. As frequency increases, the energy corresponds to an increase as well. Therefore, a decrease in wavelength results in an increase in both frequency and energy.

This clear relationship illustrates why the correct answer affirmatively states that frequency and energy are both higher when wavelength is lower.