which property is unique to electromagnetic waves?

1 answer

One unique property of electromagnetic waves is that they can propagate through a vacuum without requiring a medium. Unlike mechanical waves, such as sound waves that require a material medium (like air or water) to travel, electromagnetic waves can move through the empty space. This allows them to carry energy and information across vast distances, such as from the Sun to the Earth. Additionally, electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light in a vacuum, which is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (or about 186,282 miles per second). This ability to exist and propagate in a vacuum is a defining characteristic of electromagnetic waves.