Final answer:
Electromagnetic waves are energies that radiate in all directions as oscillating electric and magnetic fields, traveling at the speed of light and forming part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which ranges from high-energy gamma rays to low-energy radio waves.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electromagnetic waves, often referred to as EM radiation, are energies that radiate in all directions from a source, such as the focus of an earthquake, in the form of waves. These waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields and propagate through space at the speed of light (c), which is approximately 3.00 x 108 meters per second in a vacuum. The electromagnetic spectrum is a range of all possible electromagnetic wave frequencies, from gamma rays, which have the highest energy, to radio waves, which have the lowest energy. Electromagnetic radiation travels as both waves and particles known as photons, with the energy of a photon being directly proportional to the frequency of the radiation.
The nature of electromagnetic waves is such that they display both wavelike properties (such as interference patterns) and particle-like properties (exhibited by photons). This wave-particle duality is a fundamental aspect of electromagnetic radiation, which includes a vast array of types such as X-rays, visible light, microwaves, and radio waves. Each form interacts with matter in unique ways and has a variety of practical applications. These radiations are generated by the excitation of matter to higher energy states, leading to the emission of light that can form either a continuous spectrum or a line spectrum, depending on the source.