Question

Which of the following is a characteristic of light wave and sound wave?

A) Both are mechanical waves
B) Both travel at the same speed
C) Light can travel through a vacuum, sound cannot
D) Sound has a higher frequency than light

Answer 1

Both light waves and sound waves share the characteristic that light can travel through a vacuum while sound cannot. Sound waves need a medium to propagate, and travel much slower than light waves. Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristic that both light waves and sound waves share is that C) Light can travel through a vacuum, sound cannot. Sound waves are mechanical waves that require a medium (like air, water, or solids) to propagate. In contrast, light waves are electromagnetic waves that do not require a medium and can travel through a vacuum.

Another difference is that sound has a much slower speed compared to light. For example, the speed of sound in dry air at 20°C is approximately 343 meters per second, whereas the speed of light is constant at about 3 x 10⁸ meters per second.