Final answer:
The form of energy that travels in waves through matter is sound, classified as mechanical waves. Electromagnetic energy also travels in waves and displays wave-particle duality, capable of propagation through both a vacuum and various media.
Step-by-step explanation:
The form of energy that travels in waves through matter is sound. This type of energy is classified as a mechanical wave. When we consider other forms of energy such as electrical, nuclear, or chemical energy, these do not typically travel in waves through a medium. Electrical energy is due to the flow of electrically charged particles, nuclear energy is released from changes within the atom's nucleus, and chemical energy comes from the bonds within molecules. Sound waves, on the other hand, require a medium like a gas, solid, or liquid to propagate.
Additionally, electromagnetic waves like light, microwaves, and radio waves are capable of traveling through a vacuum as well as through various media. These are classified as transverse waves and exemplify wave-particle duality, exhibiting both wavelike and particle-like behaviors.