Question

Sayid listed some characteristics of waves in a chart. Part of his chart is shown.

A 1-column table with titled Characteristics of Waves. The column labeled Electromagnetic Waves has entries travel in straight lines, move only through matter, involve interactions with magnetic fields.

Which of these would correct Sayid's error?

Change the heading of the chart to “Mechanical.”
Replace “travel in straight lines” with “move in curved paths.”
Add “move due to particles bumping into each other” to the chart.
Change “move only through matter” to “move through space and matter.”

Answer 1

Change “move only through matter” to “move through space and matter.”

Explanation: electromagnetic waves do not require a medium — they can travel through vacuum — and are characterized by oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Changing the heading to "Mechanical" would make the magnetic-field item wrong; adding "particles bumping into each other" or replacing "travel in straight lines" would be incorrect for electromagnetic waves.