Question

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

Answer 1

The main difference between a mechanical wave and an electromagnetic wave is the way in which they propagate.

Mechanical waves require a medium to travel through, such as air, water, or a solid material. The particles in the medium move in a back-and-forth motion as the wave passes through, transferring energy from one particle to the next. Examples of mechanical waves include sound waves, water waves, and seismic waves.

Electromagnetic waves, on the other hand, do not require a medium to travel through and can propagate through a vacuum. These waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that radiate outward from the source. Examples of electromagnetic waves include light, radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, and X-rays.

In summary, the main difference between mechanical and electromagnetic waves is that mechanical waves require a medium to travel through, while electromagnetic waves do not.