Question

exam lesson name: light and sound
exam number: 700699rr
exam guidelines
exam instructions
question 6 of 20 :
select the best answer for the question.

1. which of the following is not a characteristic of electromagnetic light waves?

a. they travel at approximately 3 × 10⁸ meters per second through the air.
b. they cant travel through a vacuum.
c. they can be reflected and refracted.
d. they obey the formula: velocity = wavelength × frequency.
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Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option based on properties of electromagnetic (light) waves:

• Option A: Electromagnetic waves (including light) travel at \( 3 \times 10^8 \, \text{m/s} \) in air/vacuum, so this is a characteristic.
• Option B: Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum (they do not require a medium), so this statement is false and not a characteristic.
• Option C: Light waves (electromagnetic) can be reflected (e.g., mirrors) and refracted (e.g., lenses), so this is a characteristic.
• Option D: The wave equation \( v = \lambda \times f \) (velocity = wavelength × frequency) applies to all waves, including electromagnetic waves, so this is a characteristic.

Answer:

B. They can't travel through a vacuum.