| Mechanical waves | Electromagnetic waves | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | 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. |
| 2. | Speed of mechanical waves are low and depends upon the source and the medium through which they travel. | (EMW) a electromagnetic waves travel with the speed of light (3 × 108 m/s) in vaccum. The speed of an electromagnetic wave in any material medium is less than that in vaccum. |
| 3. | Mechanical waves are due to the vibrations of the particles of the medium. | (EMW) a electromagnetic waves are not due to vibration of medium particles |
| 4. | Mechanical waves may be longitudinal or transverse waves. | Electromagnetic are transverse waves. |
| 5. | Example : Sound waves, water waves, string waves are mechanical waves. | Examples : Light waves, radio and TV waves, and X-rays are electromagnetic |
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