Answer: It requires a medium to propagate.
- A It requires a medium to propagate
- B It carries energy and momentum
- C It can be polarized
- D It travels at speed c in vacuum
Correct answer: A. It requires a medium to propagate
Explanation: Unlike sound (mechanical wave), EM waves do NOT require a medium. They can travel through vacuum. This is why we can see sunlight and receive satellite signals through the vacuum of space.
In an electromagnetic wave, the oscillating electric field (E) and magnetic field (B) are perpendicular to each other and to the direction the wave travels - a purely transverse wave that needs no medium, unlike sound.
Concept context
Maxwell's equations, EM spectrum, properties, and applications of each band.