What are light waves in physics?

1 Answer
Jun 25, 2018

Light is an electromagnetic wave

Explanation:

Light has both wave as well as particulate nature.When the length of obstacle blocking it is greater than its wavelength, it behaves like a particle and when length of obstacle is comparable to its wavelength, it behaves like a wave.

In physics, a wave is a disturbance created in a medium due to energy .At the source of the disturbance, the particles of medium oscillate, transferring this energy to the particles near it and these in turn start oscillating causing propagation of energy in the medium.

But a light wave doesn't consist of oscillating particles.Instead , it consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields mutually perpendicular to each other and direction of propagation.