Asked by violet

What is the difference between a mechanical wave and an electromagnetic wave?

A mechanical wave travels through empty space, while an electromagnetic wave travels through matter.
A mechanical wave has a short wavelength, while all electromagnetic waves have long wavelengths.
A mechanical wave has a high frequency, while all electromagnetic waves have low frequencies.
A mechanical wave travels through matter, while an electromagnetic wave travels through empty space.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Correct answer: "A mechanical wave travels through matter, while an electromagnetic wave travels through empty space."

Explanation: Mechanical waves need a material medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to propagate (examples: sound, waves on a string). Electromagnetic waves are oscillating electric and magnetic fields and can propagate through vacuum (examples: light, radio, X‑rays).