Examples include radio waves, infrared radiations, visible light, UV radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. According to their frequencies, electromagnetic waves have more specific designations. They can pass through the vacuum of space quite well. Therefore, electromagnetic waves are the only type of non-mechanical waves in nature. Non-mechanical or electromagnetic waves do not require a medium for their propagation or the transfer of their energy to occur.A mechanical wave occurs due to an oscillation of matter and results in energy transfer through that medium-for example, sound waves.The word vacuum is derived from the Latin adjective “vacuus ” for “vacant” or “void.” A vacuum is a region that has a gaseous pressure that is much less than the atmospheric pressure. At the same time, a vacuum is a space devoid of matter. So a wave is a transmitting dynamic disturbance that occurred due to a change from equilibrium in one or more quantities.
But first, one must know what a wave is because knowing about all these factors can lead you to answer your question. Factors that Influence the Speed of Sound:Īre you wondering about what could be the speed of sound waves in a vacuum? To understand this, we must know what sound is, the nature of sound waves, what factors measure their speed, what kind of medium the vacuum is, and in what mediums the waves can travel or not.