Question

State any one property that is common to all electromagnetic waves.

Answer 1

Hint: Electromagnetic waves are those waves in which there is the electric field and magnetic field and both of them are perpendicular to each other and also to perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Both the electric field and magnetic field oscillates perpendicularly.

Complete step by step answer:
We are given the electromagnetic waves and we have to determine the property which is common to all of them. Electromagnetic waves are solutions of Maxwell’s equations, which are the fundamental equations of electrodynamics. Generally, an electric field is produced by a charged particle and the magnetic field is produced by a charged particle in motion. Thus, an electromagnetic field is produced by an accelerating charged particle. Electromagnetic waves are nothing but electric and magnetic fields oscillating sinusoidally perpendicular to each other. One main feature that is common to all electromagnetic waves existing in nature is that they all travel with the speed of light in free space or vacuum.

Additional information:
Electromagnetic waves are classified according to their frequency or according to their wavelength in increasing or decreasing fashion. The common example of electromagnetic waves is Radio waves, Microwaves, Infrared waves, X-rays, Ultraviolet rays etc.

Note: Velocity of an electromagnetic wave is a property which is dependent on the medium in which it is travelling. So, if the medium changes then the speed of the electromagnetic wave will also change, but in a given medium, they all travel with the same speed. Other properties such as frequency and wavelength are dependent on the source that is producing the wave.