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Jan 30, 2023 · Light waves are electromagnetic waves that are visible to the eye and can travel through a vacuum. Sound waves are mechanical waves, invisible to the human eye, and unable to travel in a vacuum. Read on for more information on the difference and properties of light and sound waves.
Sound waves are vibrations that travel through a medium, such as air or water, while light waves are electromagnetic waves that travel through a vacuum or transparent material, such as glass or air.
They are inherently different on the basis that light is electromagnetic radiation. It requires no medium and can therefore can propagate through both extremely sparse - space, upper atmosphere - and extremely dense - plastics, water - environments. Sound however, requires sufficient medium.
Differences. sound waves are longitudinal and light waves are transverse. light travels much faster than sound. light can travel through a vacuum but sound cannot as there are no air particles. light is an electromagnetic wave and sound is not. sound waves are caused by vibrations.
Jul 23, 2023 · Compared to light waves, sound waves creep along at a snail's pace—about a million times slower. You see lightning much sooner than you hear it because the light waves reach you pretty much instantly, while the sound waves take about 5 seconds to cover each 1.6 km (1 mile).
Feb 3, 2024 · Light waves are electromagnetic waves while sound waves are mechanical waves. Light waves are transverse while sound waves are longitudinal. Light waves can travel in vacuum. Sound waves require a material medium to travel, and hence, cannot travel in vacuum.
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The reason for the difference—that is, why sound diffraction is more pronounced than light diffraction—is that sound waves are much, much larger than light waves. Sound travels by longitudinal waves, or waves in which the movement of vibration is in the same direction as the wave itself.
