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rekha1804
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What is the difference between space and vacuum?
Since light waves require a medium to travel, then what is the medium in space?
Since light waves require a medium to travel, then what is the medium in space?
They don't. Discovering that there's no evidence of a medium was a large part of the work that led to relativity theory.rekha1804 said:Since light waves require a medium to travel,
Empty space is a vacuum. Interstellar and intergalactic space are almost empty, but not quite.rekha1804 said:What is the difference between space and vacuum?
This is a faulty assumption and you would do well to get rid of it.rekha1804 said:Since light waves require a medium to travel
Light travels through the vacuum of space, which is mostly empty of matter. This means that light does not require a medium to propagate, unlike sound waves which require a medium such as air or water.
Light travels in straight lines through space at a speed of approximately 299,792 kilometers per second. It can travel vast distances without being significantly affected by gravity or other forces.
While light can be slowed down when passing through certain materials, such as glass or water, in the vacuum of space, light always travels at its maximum speed. This speed is known as the speed of light, and it is a fundamental constant of nature.
The speed of light in space is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second, or about 186,282 miles per second. This speed is a universal constant and is the fastest speed at which any form of energy or information can travel.
While light can travel vast distances through space, it can be absorbed, reflected, or refracted by various objects and particles in space. However, in the vacuum of space, light can travel indefinitely until it encounters an obstacle or is absorbed by a material.