Were it not for the ability of electromagnetic waves to travel to Earth, there would undoubtedly be no life on Earth. All light waves are examples of electromagnetic waves. Light waves are the topic of another unit at The Physics Classroom. While the basic properties and behaviors of light will be discussed, the detailed nature of an electromagnetic wave is quite complicated and beyond the scope of The Physics Classroom. A mechanical wave is a wave which is not capable of transmitting its energy through a vacuum.
Mechanical waves require a medium in order to transport their energy from one location to another.
A sound wave is an example of a mechanical wave. Sound waves are incapable of traveling through a vacuum. The above categories represent just a few of the ways which physicist categorize waves in order to compare and contrast their behaviors and characteristic properties. The five categories of waves listed here will be used periodically throughout this unit on waves as well as the units on sound and light . Check Your Understanding 1.