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Light waves travel fastest through vacuum, at nearly 30 million meters per second. Light travels more slowly through other substances such as air and water, and can be absorbed.
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How can electromagnetic waves travel in a vacuum?
Elctromagnetic radiation is a moving "pair" of "waves" in space. One is a magnetic wave and the other is an electric wave, and they move in phase and at right angles to each other. When they are created by a moving charge or charges, the energy of the wave is "bundled" into this pair of waves or fields, and moves away from the source like the ripples across a pond. Except the moving fields do not need anything to "carry" the energy. No medium is required. In contrast, a water wave or a sound wave is mechanical energy, and the source transferred energy into the medium, and the medium must carry it. the electromagnetic wave is sulf sustaining and can move through a complete vacuum. Use the links below to related questions and related articles.
What types of materials can sound not travel through?
Spongy materials are the most difficult for sound to travel through. Vacuum is the best acoustic insulation but it doesn't really count for the purpose of this question, since it is not a material but a lack of material.
What type of surface reflects light waves best?
light colored and smooth. these characteristics will allow the waves to reflect and bounce off rather than absorb.
How fast do echoes travel?
About 1100 feet per second, which is the speed of sound.
Sound can travel through-?
sound can travel through wood and water like if you are in the pool you can make sound of bubble with your mouth under water
Do sound waves travel better through solid liquids or gasses?
sound waves travel through best through solids because they are more dense, then liquids, and finally they travel the worst through gasses.
What do light waves propagate through?
Light waves propagate best through vacuum, or "nothing." Light waves also propagate at slower speeds through denser materials, such as air, glass, and clear water.
Where do sound wave travel the fastes?
Sound waves travel best through air than anything else.
Does a electromagnetic wave need a medium to travel?
Electromagnetic waves do not need a medium in which to travel. They move "best" through a perfect vacuum.
What does light travel through best empty space or matter?
Light travels fastest through empty space.
Do sound waves travel best through solids liquids gases or vacuums?
Sounds can't travel through a vacuum, it requires a medium (something to travel through). It can travel through the rest but the best is gases because the particles are more spaced out, unlike solids and liquids which are more closely packed.
What kind of wave does a sound travel through?
Sound (and vibration) waves may only travel in some medium. Such as air, metal and so on. They cannot travel in a vacuum.
Through which does light travel best?
Speed of light is fastest through vacuum. Although it is only about 0.001 times slower in air.
Why doesn't thermal radiation need a medium to transfer heat energy?
Thermal energy is an electromagnetic wave, as light is. Light (and other electromagnetic waves) travel best through empty space. They consist of an electric and magnetic field, that propagates as a wave.
Are light waves transverse waves or compressional waves?
They are best modeled as transverse waves.
Which waves travel through a medium?
We know that a mechanical wave requires a medium through which to travel. The source puts the energy into the medium, and it propagates. A sound wave is a good example of this, and we can contrast it with an electromagnetic wave (like light). Light can travel through a vacuum; it doesn't require a medium for its propagation.
What does light travel best through?
Light travels fastest in a vacuum with an approximate speed of 3.0 * 108 ms-1.
