Whats the difference and similarity between electromagnetic and mechanical waves?

Question

Whats the difference and similarity between electromagnetic and mechanical waves?

Answer 1

Both types of waves can transfer energy.

Only electromagnetic waves can travel in a vacuum.

Answer 2

The answer in very short has to do with energy. All energy transfers are electromagnetic, so strangely enough mechanical waves are electromagnetic waves in terms of energy. We all know that they look much different.

Answer 3

Here's a few differences: Electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light, mechanical waves travel at or below the speed of sound in the medium through which they're traveling. Mechanical waves can only flow through matter, EM waves can travel through free space (and through matter, as well). EM waves are carried by photons, and therefore have some of the properties of particles, as well as the properties of waves. Mechanical waves are pure waves, which do not exhibit particle-like behavior.

Answer 4

DIFERRENCE
1. electromagnetic wave do not require a medium to travel while mechanical wave does.
2. Mechanical wave can be transverse as well as longitudinal whearas no longitudinal EM wave is known till date
3. Mech. wave involve oscillating particles whearas EM wave involves vibrating electric and magnetic feild.
SIMILARITY
1. Both can transfer energy without transfer of particles
2. both involve 1 or the other quantity vibrating about a fixed mean position.

Answer 5

none . electromagnetic is used in many mechanical devices but the forces are not similar.