Which property is unique to electromagnetic waves

1 answer

One property that is unique to electromagnetic waves is that they can propagate through a vacuum without requiring a medium. Unlike mechanical waves (such as sound waves), which need a medium (like air, water, or solid materials) to travel through, electromagnetic waves can travel through empty space. This characteristic allows them to propagate over vast distances, such as the transmission of light and radio waves from the Sun to Earth. Additionally, electromagnetic waves comprise oscillating electric and magnetic fields that are perpendicular to each other and to the direction of propagation.