Asked by hoovan

Which statement correctly distinguishes between mechanical and electromagnetic waves?

Electromagnetic waves carry energy through matter; mechanical waves carry energy through space.
Mechanical waves carry energy through matter; electromagnetic waves carry energy through space.
Electromagnetic waves carry energy through particles that move up and down; mechanical waves carry energy through particles that move side to side.
Mechanical waves carry energy through particles that move up and down; electromagnetic waves carry energy through particles that move side to side.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
"Mechanical waves carry energy through matter; electromagnetic waves carry energy through space."

Explanation: Mechanical waves (e.g., sound, water waves) require a material medium—the particles of the medium oscillate to transmit energy. Electromagnetic waves (e.g., light, radio) are oscillations of electric and magnetic fields and can travel through vacuum (space) without a material medium.