Final answer:
Light waves are formed by the oscillation of electric and magnetic fields. These waves can travel through a vacuum at the speed of light.
Step-by-step explanation:
Light waves are formed by the oscillation of electric and magnetic fields. This was discovered by Maxwell, who showed that electromagnetic waves consist of an electric field oscillating in step with a perpendicular magnetic field. Both of these fields are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the wave. These waves can travel through a vacuum at the speed of light, which is approximately 2.998 × 10^8 m/s.