Final answer:
Infrared remote controls use infrared light to communicate with devices, requiring a direct line of sight between the remote and the device's detector to operate correctly. Radio waves, on the other hand, are used for different types of wireless communications but not for these particular remotes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Infrared remote controls use light in the form of infrared radiation to carry signals between the remote control and the device it is intended to control. This electromagnetic radiation lies just below visible light in frequency on the electromagnetic spectrum and is primarily produced by thermal motion and the molecular vibrations and rotations. These remote controls work by modulating an infrared beam which is directed towards the receiving device and operates by line of sight, meaning the emitter and detector must have a clear path to communicate.
Interestingly, while other devices may utilize radio waves or Bluetooth technology, which allow for signals to pass through obstacles and do not require line of sight, traditional infrared remotes do not. When a button is pressed on an infrared remote, a specific signal is encoded into the infrared light by changing its properties, such as pulsing the light at a particular frequency. The receiving device detects this modulation, decodes the signal, and performs the corresponding action. It is worth noting that radio waves are used in many other types of wireless communication as well, including TV and radio signals, but they are not the method of signal transmission for infrared remote controls.