Question

What is the Difference between Mechanical waves and Electromagnetic wave? Or, Write the five differences between Mechanical waves and Electromagnetic wave?

Answer 1

Some main differences between Mechanical waves and Electromagnetic waves are given below —

Mechanical wave	Electromagnetic wave
Mechanical waves need a material medium for their propagation. These waves cannot travel through vacuum.	Electromagnetic waves do not need any material medium for their propagation. These waves can travel through vacuum.
Speeds of mechanical waves are low and depend upon the source and the medium through which they travel.	Electromagnetic waves travel with the speed of light (3 x 108 m/s) in vacuum. The speed of an electromagnetic wave in any material medium is less than that in vacuum.
Mechanical waves are due to the vibrations of the particles of the medium.	Electromagnetic waves are due to the oscillating electrical and magnetic fields in space.
Mechanical waves may be longitudinal or transverse waves.	Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
Examples: Sound waves, water waves, string waves are mechanical waves	Examples: Light waves, radio and TV waves, and X-rays are electromagnetic waves.