radio waves are lower in frequency, longer in wavelength, and have their own intrinsic set time period (1/frequency). How can light waves and radio waves both travel at 186,000 miles/second?
2007-06-01 05:37:12 · 9 answers · asked by Bob D1 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Light and radio waves are classified as electro-magnetic radiation. Both have the same velocity (speed of light).
Frequency is independent of it's speed.
Of course, you can have "relative" differences in speed - Doppler Effect, but the absolute speed is the speed of light.
2007-06-01 05:49:32 · answer #1 · answered by Dave C 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Aren't both visible light and radio waves forms of electro-magnetic radiation (like microwaves, x-rays, IR or UV radiation, etc.)?
Perhaps all electro-magnetic radiation travels at the same speed. I really don't know, but perhaps the frequency and wavelength have nothing to do with the travel speed...?
Don't confuse radio waves (electro-magnetic radiation) with sound waves (condensed, pulsed waves of air or water molecules). Sound waves certainly do travel much slower than light waves, but radio waves are not the same as sound waves.
2007-06-01 05:50:57 · answer #2 · answered by The Voice of Reason 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
All energy in the electromagnetic spectrum, regardless of wavelength, travels at the same speed because it's all transmitted by "particles" called photons, and all photons travel at the same speed: the speed of light.
Visible light, microwaves, radio waves, ultraviolet, infra-red, gamma rays, x-rays.... they are ALL part of the electromagnetic spectrum and they are all transmitted by photons.
2007-06-01 05:43:20 · answer #3 · answered by Nature Boy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a vacuum, all electromagnetic energy travels at the speed of light. This is an example of the particle side of the wave/particle duality property.
2007-06-01 05:42:31 · answer #4 · answered by JLynes 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Radio waves are electromagnetic, and just like visible light, travel at slightly faster than 186k miles per sec.
Another form of electromagnetic waves include the microwaves that reheat last night's pizza.
2007-06-01 05:47:31 · answer #5 · answered by Bubba S 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Light waves were once believed to propagate through the luminiferous aether. It is no longer believed that there is such a thing.
2016-05-18 21:04:42 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A photon is a photon. All photons, all particles with zero rest mass, travel at lightspeed.
(lambda)(nu) = c
E = h(nu)
http://elchem.kaist.ac.kr/vt/chem-ed/light/em-rad.htm
technical
http://howard.nebrwesleyan.edu/hhmi/fellows/sloder/EMsummary.html
crude but adequate
2007-06-01 05:43:01 · answer #7 · answered by Uncle Al 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Your arguement is not valid. They are all energy waves, and all travel at the same speed.
2007-06-01 05:44:52 · answer #8 · answered by cattbarf 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Radio waves are sneaky, and hitch rides on photons, usually without even sharing the gas money.
2007-06-01 05:41:38 · answer #9 · answered by MBison 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋