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No. Electromagnetic waves travel through vacuum ( ie space where there is nothing)

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15y ago
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15y ago

Nope, all kinds of radiation travels through the vacuum of space.

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14y ago

Some waves called mechanical waves e.g sound need a medium to travel through while electromagnetic waves need no medium to travel through e.g light

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Q: Does waves need a medium to travel through?
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Do seismic waves need a medium to travel through?

Seismic, or earthquake waves travel through the earth. They may travel through our crust, which is rocky, or through the more fluid parts, like the mantle, but the medium is the earth.


What waves can travel through solids and liquids?

Electro-magnetic waves of many kinds travel through certain solids and liquids: radio waves (these are waves of relatively low frequency/high wavelength) can travel through almost anything. Microwaves - shorter wavelength, higher frequency - need particular materials to stop them. Gamma rays (a form of radioactivity) can pass through many solids, and need a very thick layer of a dense metal such as LEAD to stop them. Visible light, which is also a form of electro-magnetic radiation - can (obviously) travel through some liquids and solids; those which are to some extent transparent.Sound waves - which are pressure waves - can also travel through solids and liquids.Generally, the answer to the question varies according to which solids and liquids are being considered; and each of these will permit a different range of waves to pass through them.


Why do seismic waves travel faster through a solid rock than through water?

We are talking about the seisimc waves in an earthquake. The difference in the speed of travel of the two waves has to do with what has to happen to the medium (the ground or the earth) to transmit the energy of the seismic wave. Let's look. The P wave is a longitudinal wave or a compression wave. The force is applied in the direction that the wave is traveling. The ground must move in that direction. Ground or earth is pretty incompressible, so the energy is transferred pretty quickly. In the S wave, the medium is displaced in a transverse (up and down - compared to the line of travel) way, and the medium must shear or "move away" from the material right next to it to cause the shear and transmit the wave. This takes more time, and this is why the S wave moves more slowly than the P wave in seismic events. Need a link to seismic waves? You got it. Wikipedia has a good article, and the pictures are worth the trip over to view them.


Difference between radiation and convection?

Radiation is when heat is transferred from one thing to another via electromagnetic waves like infrared. It can travel through a vacuum. Convection is when a fluid is heated from the bottom and rises, leaving colder fluid behind to be heated etc creating currents. The thing you are trying to heat has to be in contact with the heat source- it doesn't work through a vacuum.


Why can't the suns heat reach us by conduction or convection?

because there is no medium, conduction and convection need medium to spread through, they cannot spread through vacuum.

Related questions

Do radio waves need a medium to travel through?

No, radio waves do not need a medium to travel through. They are a type of electromagnetic wave that can travel through a vacuum, such as space. They can also travel through other mediums, such as air or water.


What waves need a medium to travel in?

Mechanical waves, such as sound waves, require a medium to travel through. These waves propagate by causing particles in the medium to vibrate and transfer the energy of the wave. Electromagnetic waves, such as light waves, do not require a medium and can travel through a vacuum.


What type of wave requires no medium to travel through?

Waves need not require medium to travel through. Only Mechanical waves like sound waves require medium to travel through. Electromagnetic waves travel in vaccum like light waves. Some waves transmitted in a medium due to disturbances in the medium .


How mechanical and electromagnetic wave are different?

The biggest difference is that mechanical waves require a medium to travel through and electromagnetic waves do not.


Do longitudinal waves need to travel through a medium?

Yes, longitudinal waves require a medium to travel through. Examples of longitudinal waves include sound waves in air, which need air particles to propagate. Without a medium for the waves to move through, like in a vacuum, longitudinal waves cannot travel.


Is it true that all waves need a medium to travel through?

No, not all waves require a medium to travel through. Electromagnetic waves, such as light, radio waves, and X-rays, can travel through a vacuum because they consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. These waves do not need a material medium for transmission.


Does transverse wave require a medium to travel through?

Yes, transverse waves require a medium to travel through. Examples include water waves, which need water as a medium, and electromagnetic waves such as light, which can travel through a vacuum.


What can waves travel through?

Sound waves need a medium to travel through - the medium may be solid, liquid, or gaseous. Electromagnetic waves (including light) can also travel through empty space.


Sound waves cannot travel in a vacuum because?

sound waves need a medium, such as air or water, to travel through via vibrations. In space, there is no medium for the sound waves to travel through, so they cannot propagate.


What needs a medium substance to travel through?

Mechanical waves need a medium substance to travel through. Electromagnetic do not.


All waves need a medium to travel?

This statement is not accurate. Electromagnetic waves, such as light and radio waves, can travel through a vacuum where there is no medium. They do not require a physical medium like air or water to propagate.


Due mechanical waves need a medium to travel through?

Yes, mechanical waves require a medium to travel through. This is because mechanical waves transfer energy by causing particles in the medium to vibrate back and forth in the direction of the wave. Examples of mechanical waves include sound waves and seismic waves.