How do light waves or particles travel in vacuum?

Question

Though there are certain properties which a medium must possess for a wave to propogate through it(wiz. elasticity and inertia), a light wave travels through vacuum. How?

Answer 1

Electromagentic waves propagate in vacuum because electric and magnetic field can exist in vacuum; they do not need any material as a medium to propagate; contrast this with sound waves which do need a material into which propagate. Vacuum itself has a very measurable electrical permitivity and magnetic permeability, and that is all you need for electromagnetic waves to propagate.

Answer 2

This classic question led to certain people postulating that a medium does exist for the passage of light waves. It was called the either, but nobody was able to detect it and the conclusion was that light is not simply a wave phenomena.



Later experimentation suggested that light is a particle phenomena with small packets of energy called photons supplying the light when they strike objects. This theory was later also shown to support the interference of light effect when the light passes through two slits (as wave theories do). But it became absurd when single photons were also found to have this property!



Today we think of photons as sets of wave packets having probability properties rather than precise existence, according to the quantum theory (which gives remarkably accurate results but which is impossible to properly understand). Even the best physicists have this problem.

Answer 3

A Wave is really a moving force. The velocity that the force moves is determined by the Power given to a mass structure which causes its motion. Sound travels in a medium which could be fluid or solid substance. Light Can travel inside a solid substance like glass and Crystals or also in a fluid substance like air. Light can travel long astronomical distance(in the abscence of air) in space within the medium of the Substance of Space structure. Both Sound and light obey the Rules of the folowing equation; V^2 = Pressure of the medium on the moving mass structure divided by its density V^2 = P/ Rho P= pressure Rho = Density V=velocity

Answer 4

the vacuum is the medium....

The vacuum acts 'rigid' for the light passing through it.

The vacuum resonates somewhere at 10^41 hertz or so, and because it has a high frequency, it has a high power quotient.



Quantum foam, as they call it as well, acts as a conveyor for the lower vibrating EM/light waves.



The vacuum sets the rules for light speed constant or not....not the light it's self. The vacuum rules the universe, not light.

Answer 5

They travel very well!



Light (and radio) waves are ELECTROMAGNETIC waves. They do not need a medium through which to travel.



When electromagnetic wave DO travel through a medium, they are affected by the medium. For example, light wave through a prism or cut diamond, or radio waves through a grounded metal sheet.