Question

Which are characteristics of electromagnetic waves?check all that apply.

Answer 1

Correct choices are marked in bold:

travel in straight lines and can bounce off surfaces  --> TRUE, normally electromagnetic waves travel in straight lines, however they can be reflected by objects, bouncing off their surfaces

travel through space at the speed of light  --> TRUE, all electromagnetic waves in space (vacuum) travel at the speed of light, $c=3\cdot 10^8 m/s$)

travel only through matter  --> FALSE; electromagnetic waves can also travel through vacuum

travel only through space  --> FALSE, electromagnetic waves can also travel through matter

can bend around objects  --> TRUE, this is what happens for instance when diffraction occurs: electromagnetic waves are bended around obstacles or small slits

move by particles bumping into each other  --> FALSE, electromagnetic waves are oscillations of electric and magnetic fields, so no particles are involved

move by the interaction between an electric field and a magnetic field --> TRUE, electromagnetic waves consist of an electric field and a magnetic field oscillating in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave

Answer 2

Electromagnetic waves ...
-- travel in straight lines and can bounce off surfaces
-- travel through space at the speed of light 
-- can bend around objects 
and 
-- move by the interaction between an electric field and a magnetic field