Question map
Consider the following statements 1. Light waves can travel in vacuum. 2. Light waves can be refracted. 3. Light waves are electromagnetic. Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Explanation
Light waves possess several fundamental properties. First, light waves can travel in a vacuum, unlike sound waves which require a medium; light reaches Earth from the Sun through the vacuum of space [4]. Second, light waves undergo refraction, which is the change in direction or bending of light as it passes obliquely from one transparent medium to another due to a change in its speed [1]. Third, light is a form of electromagnetic radiation [4]. It consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields and occupies the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because light is an electromagnetic wave, it is transverse in nature and does not require a physical medium for propagation [4]. Therefore, all three statements—traveling in a vacuum, being refractable, and being electromagnetic—are scientifically accurate descriptions of light waves.
Sources
- [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum
- [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: Light – Reflection and Refraction > 9.3.2 The Refractive Index > p. 148