If sound waves travel by pushing particles back and forth, then how exactly do electromagnetic/radio waves travel through the vacuum of space and dense matter? Are they emitting… stuff? Or is there some… stuff even in the empty space that they push?

Question

If sound waves travel by pushing particles back and forth, then how exactly do electromagnetic/radio waves travel through the vacuum of space and dense matter? Are they emitting… stuff? Or is there some… stuff even in the empty space that they push?

In: Physics

Answer 1

I don’t feel like these are ELI5 enough. Heres my attempt:

You are right that sound is a ripple in the air just like when you make ripples in water. Light is also a ripple but in something called the electromagnetic field. It is special because it creates itself as it travels. That’s how it can go through space where there is nothing to push off