Why do electromagnetic waves not require a medium for travel?

A) because electromagnetic waves travel too fast for stationary particles to move with them

B) because electromagnetic waves transmit energy without compressing the particles of the medium

C) because electromagnetic waves generate their own particles for compression and use these for movement

D) because electromagnetic waves move in two-dimensional space, the particles of mediums exist in 3-D space

Question

Curtis Marquez

Physics

27 December, 02:16

Why do electromagnetic waves not require a medium for travel?

A) because electromagnetic waves travel too fast for stationary particles to move with them

B) because electromagnetic waves transmit energy without compressing the particles of the medium

C) because electromagnetic waves generate their own particles for compression and use these for movement

D) because electromagnetic waves move in two-dimensional space, the particles of mediums exist in 3-D space

+5

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Eliana Kemp · Answer 1

The answer is B) because electromagnetic waves transmit energy without compressing the particles of the medium. Electromagnetic waves are not like mechanical waves (ex. sound waves) because they do not need a medium to propagate. Electromagnetic waves continuously propagates as electric fields and magnetic fields generate each other.