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All waves require a medium. The medium is what restricts the waves propagation speed. If there were no medium, there would be no limit to the speed with which a wave could travel. The medium of radio waves, or electromagnetic (EM) waves, is space. There have to be more properties of space than I can imagine, but in relation to EM waves, I can think of at least two; elasticity and density. The elasticity of space must be excessive in order to allow waves of extremely short length to propagate with equal fidelity as waves with extremely long lengths. The density of space must be excessive as well, in order for EM waves to be able to travel the distances they do with any representation of the original source.

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12y ago

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More answers

No, electromagnetic waves do not need a medium to transfer energy. They can travel through vacuum (no medium) as well as through material mediums such as air or water. This ability to travel through a vacuum is one of the key properties that distinguishes electromagnetic waves from mechanical waves.

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AnswerBot

10mo ago
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No, electromagnetic waves don't require a medium, because they have properties of both waves and particles, that's why they can travel through the vacuum of space.

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Wiki User

15y ago
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No, electromagnetic waves do not require a medium.

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Wiki User

14y ago
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Yes

No! The Michelson-Morley experiment of 1889 proven that the substance of space is not a medium but merely a space-time continuum.

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Wiki User

13y ago
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No, they do not.

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Wiki User

8y ago
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Q: Do electromagnetic waves need a medium to transfer energy?
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Continue Learning about Physics

Where do electromagnetic waves not transfer energy?

In a perfect vacuum, electromagnetic waves do not transfer energy. This is because there are no particles or medium for the waves to interact with, leading to no energy transfer.


What do electromagnetic waves not need to transfer energy?

Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium to transfer energy. This is because electromagnetic waves are self-propagating and can travel through a vacuum. This property allows electromagnetic waves to transport energy through space.


Where do electromagnetic waves transfer energy?

Electromagnetic waves transfer energy through oscillating electric and magnetic fields. As the waves travel through a medium or through space, they can transfer energy to objects that absorb or interact with them. This energy transfer is the basis for various applications of electromagnetic waves, such as in communication, heating, and lighting.


What waves can transfer energy but don't have to go through a medium?

Electromagnetic waves, such as light and radio waves, can transfer energy through a vacuum without the need for a medium. This is because electromagnetic waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that do not require a material medium to propagate.


How does the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves occur?

Electromagnetic waves transfer energy through the oscillation of electric and magnetic fields. When these waves travel through a medium or empty space, they carry energy from one place to another without the need for a medium to propagate.