what exactly is wave (e.g. wifi, radio) and how does it travel in the physical world?

423 views

I really can’t grasp the concept of waves. I can imagine it a bit for sound waves: a speaker has a surface that pushes air, and the moving air eventually pushes the membrane in our ears.

But I’m confused about wifi etc. What exactly is the thing that physically travels? Is it air or something else? Does it physically move in a wavy pattern?

Edit: thanks for all the answers! But damn I’m overwhelmed. It’s gonna take me days to read and fully understand the answers. But thanks!

In: 87

54 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

On the electromagnetic spectrum, you have radio waves on one end, gamma rays on the other end. In the middle, there’s a narrow band of visible light, following the colors of the rainbow. 🌈

So on the lower energy end of this spectrum you have radio waves which can be emitted at a specific frequency and received.

It was thought that some sort of medium was needed to transmit such waves, this lead to the mistaken belief of the “luminiferous ether.” But emissions of the electromagnetic spectrum do not require any media to carry it. It is a form of radiation.

You are viewing 1 out of 54 answers, click here to view all answers.