how do electromagnetic waves travel without a medium?

Answer 1

I just answered this elsewhere an hour ago. Here's the same answer:

The Michelson-Morley experiment demonstrated the failure of the aether model, but astute physicists such as Poincare and even Maxwell himself could have predicted such an outcome, because it was apparent that the Maxwell Equations of Electromagnetism was not invariant with respect to Galilean transformation, but with Lorentzian. Relativity theory was a rejection of the classical aether model, but actually had little to say about the nature of the vacuum in which photons propagates. Quantum theory mathematically recognized the wave-particle duality of particles in general and photons in particular, but just as Special Relativity was incomplete and was expressed in the more general form in General Relativity with curved spacetime, so was Heisenburg-Schrodinger-Bohr quantum mechanics, incomplete, and Quantum Field Theory came into the picture, ushered in by Feynman et al. In Quantum Field Theory, the vacuum is anything but "nothing", teeming with virtual particles and their interactions, where photons are the gauge bosons for virtual electrons and positrons flitting in and out of existence in both directions in time. This quantum field is Lorentzian, which is to say is in hyperbolic spacetime, so in a sense it's a updated version of the old aether concept. Cutting edge work on QFT is incorporating it with the curved spacetime of General Relativity, and the link given cites a sample paper on this subject, and the question of the role the photon plays in it and the manner it propagates. The photon indeed plays a key role in the nature of the vacuum itself, in no small way a complex world and very far from simple "nothing".

Answer 2

Electromagnetic waves do not travel in a medium like sound and water waves. They are the interaction of electric and magnetic fields as described by Maxwell's equations. These equations show that a time-varying magnetic field creates an electric field, and conversely, a time-varying electric field creates a magnetic field. The equations can be solved to derive the case in which the electric fields and magnetic fields vary in such a way that each creates the other in a self-sustaining interaction. When this is done, the result is an equation of a traveling wave that moves at the speed of 1/sqrt(e0*m0) in free space. e0 and m0 are electrical properties of space called permittivity and permeability. it turns out that the speed of light in a vacuum is exactly that value. This result was the convincing proof that light was electromagnetic waves.

Answer 3

Electromagnetic radiation is a bombardment of electrically charged debris, and for this reason does not come to a decision for a medium to go back and forth by. at the same time as travelling in a vacuum such as outer area, it seriously is not inspite of the indisputable fact that of like a valid wave, which does require a medium to propagate.

Answer 4

The way I visualise it non-mathematically is that the pre-existent field due to charge(s) is the 'medium'. If you imagine the charge oscillating, this creates a time varying wave in this field which in turn induces a time varying magnetic field, the em waves so created travel at a speed inversely propnl to the square root of the product of the electric permittivity and the magnetic permeability of 'free space' (Clerk maxwell did all the math for this using Faraday's Laws, Gauss's Law etc). Try thinking of a ball suspended by elastics- that's the field- then 'ping' the ball-waves would travel out along these elastics- OK it's only a crude simplification, but it helps me to visualise it!

Answer 5

Ignore the above as technically electromatic waves have 0 absolute matter (while they may have some relative mass due to the speed of light, it's rather in-depth physics that deals with this and can be ignored for all practical purposes. Anyway, electromagnetic waves consist of photons, basicly particles of light that have energy, but no mass. These particles can travel through space, and travel at the speed of light, They are created when the electrons of an atom become excited and jump or drop an energy level due to being excited.

Answer 6

The mass and motion of earth (and other large masses) generate magnetic fields which can carry radio waves. Study Protons, Electrons, and Neutrons. Another source of info to look into would be Radio frequency and Wavelength. Light is also an electromagnetic wave...as are microwaves, gamma rays, ultra-violet rays, and even visible light. Pretty sure i'm correct. Hope this was helpful. John- Trucker from Memphis, TN. I learned about this when studying how my CB radio could transmit and receive over SIX THOUSAND MILES...from Phenix City, AL to the US Marshall Islands!

Answer 7

When there is a disturbance in one end of the medium, the particles in that portion of the medium begin to vibrate. The vibration of one particle would cause the vibration of next succeeding particles in the medium. The vibrations continue till it gets to the other portion of the medium carrying the energy supplied at that portion of the medium. Note the degree of energy supplied would cause the the degree of vibration of the particles. For example if you shout the energy supplied at that portion of the medium is so great that the particles in the medium vibrate faster and a greater energy(sound energy) is transmitted to the other portion of the medium.

Answer 8

They travel in material medium and also in the medium called vacuum.

If your question is how do they travel without material medium i.e., in vacuum, then the answer is the question, why do you expect a material medium for those waves to travel?

Answer 9

They don't consist of matter, therefore they arnt dependent upon matter. Electromagnetic waves are energy.

Answer 10

yes they do. they travel through space.
electromagnetic radiation disperses thought space... got it?