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"Is light a mechanical wave? Explain.

a) No, because light requires a medium to travel through.
b) No, because light does not require a medium to travel through.
c) Yes, because light requires a medium to travel through.
d) Yes, because light does not require a medium to travel through."

User Vpozdyayev
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Final answer:

Light is not a mechanical wave as it does not require a medium to travel through. Light is an electromagnetic wave and can move through the vacuum of space without needing a medium.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is b) No, because light does not require a medium to travel through.

Typically, mechanical waves, such as sound waves or water waves, require a medium (like air, water, or a solid material) to travel through. This is not the case for light. Light is actually an example of an electromagnetic wave, rather than a mechanical wave. Electromagnetic waves, which also include other forms of radiation like X-rays and radio waves, can propagate or move through the vacuum of space without needing a medium. This is how light from the sun and other stars reaches Earth.

Learn more about Mechanical Waves

User Peter Jerald
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