Electromagnetic waves
differ from mechanical waves
Do light waves require a medium?
We know that
light doesn’t need a medium through which
to travel because the speed of light is experimentally constant: independent of the movement of the source or detector or the direction in which it travels. Light contrasts with sound, which travels through the air (or some other material medium).
What wave does require a medium?
Mechanical waves
require a medium in order to transport their energy from one location to another. A sound wave is an example of a mechanical wave. Sound waves are incapable of traveling through a vacuum.
What are 2 types of waves?
Waves come in two kinds,
longitudinal and transverse
. Transverse waves are like those on water, with the surface going up and down, and longitudinal waves are like of those of sound, consisting of alternating compressions and rarefactions in a medium.
What are the 7 types of waves?
The electromagnetic spectrum includes, from longest wavelength to shortest:
radio waves, microwaves, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma-rays
. To tour the electromagnetic spectrum, follow the links below!
Can light travel in a vacuum?
Light can travel in
a vacuum
.
A vacuum is empty space. There are no molecules of air or anything else in a vacuum. Like all forms of electromagnetic waves, light can travel through empty space, as well as through matter.
Why electromagnetic wave can travel in vacuum?
The propagation of electromagnetic waves either in a certain medium or in vacuum is
due the the mutual changes between the electric and magnetic field
. … These variations in electric and magnetic fields fields lead to the transfer of the energy which is carried by the EM wave.
How does light travel in a medium?
Light travels slower in
a medium than it does in a vacuum, and the speed is proportional to the density of the medium. This speed variation causes light to bend at the interface of two media — a phenomenon called refraction.
What are 4 types of waves?
- Microwaves.
- X-ray.
- Radio waves.
- Ultraviolet waves.
What are the classification of waves?
There are two basic types of wave motion for mechanical waves:
longitudinal waves and transverse waves
. The animations below demonstrate both types of wave and illustrate the difference between the motion of the wave and the motion of the particles in the medium through which the wave is travelling.
What are the 5 properties of waves?
They include
amplitude, frequency, period, wavelength, speed, and phase
. Each of these properties is described in more detail below.
What are the 7 types of light?
The EM spectrum is generally divided into seven regions, in order of decreasing wavelength and increasing energy and frequency. The common designations are:
radio waves, microwaves, infrared (IR), visible light, ultraviolet (UV), X-rays and gamma rays
.
What is the most useful electromagnetic wave?
The different types of waves have different uses and functions in our everyday lives. The most important of these is
visible light
, which enables us to see. Radio waves have the longest wavelengths of all the electromagnetic waves. They range from around a foot long to several miles long.
What type of waves are light waves?
Light waves move as
transverse waves
(see diagram of a transverse wave) and can move through a vacuum (empty space) at a speed of approximately 186,000 miles per second. Light has both magnetic and electric fields. Scientists call this electromagnetic radiation (light).
Does anything travel faster than light?
Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity famously dictates that
no known object can travel faster than the speed of light in vacuum
, which is 299,792 km/s. … Unlike objects within space–time, space–time itself can bend, expand or warp at any speed.
Does light ever stop traveling?
Answer 2: No, in fact
light only stops when it is absorbed by an electron in an atom
of an object. Light in a perfect vacuum travels on at its full speed until it hits something.
