- #1
misskitty
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Waves in Space!
My physics class is studying waves at the moment. I was reading something in my book that I thought was rather interesting.
Mechanical waves don't travel very well through space because space is nearly a vaccum. However, electromagnetic waves travel well through space. There are some kinds of elecrtomagnetic waves that can not escape the gravity of black holes, such as light waves.
I was wondering why. Why can electromagnetic waves travle through space with relative ease, yet mechanical waves cannot? I know mechanical waves need an elastic medium to travel through, but isn't space a medium too? If it isn't why not?
Just some food for thought.
My physics class is studying waves at the moment. I was reading something in my book that I thought was rather interesting.
Mechanical waves don't travel very well through space because space is nearly a vaccum. However, electromagnetic waves travel well through space. There are some kinds of elecrtomagnetic waves that can not escape the gravity of black holes, such as light waves.
I was wondering why. Why can electromagnetic waves travle through space with relative ease, yet mechanical waves cannot? I know mechanical waves need an elastic medium to travel through, but isn't space a medium too? If it isn't why not?
Just some food for thought.