How can you define electromagnetic radiation?

Electromagnetic radiation is best defined as waves of energy created by the oscillation of electric and magnetic fields. This definition emphasizes the fundamental nature of electromagnetic radiation, which involves the generation of electric and magnetic fields that fluctuate and propagate through space.

These waves can travel through a vacuum, meaning they do not require a medium, distinguishing them from mechanical waves, like sound waves, which need a material medium to travel through. The oscillation of the electric and magnetic fields is described by Maxwell's equations, which fundamentally govern how these fields interact and propagate.

Other options that describe electromagnetic radiation mischaracterize its properties. For example, defining it as waves of energy from chemical reactions does not capture the essence of how electromagnetic waves function independently of chemical processes. Similarly, classifying it as a form of sound transmission fails to recognize that sound is a mechanical wave, reliant on matter for propagation, unlike electromagnetic radiation. The suggestion that electromagnetic waves travel only through solid materials is also incorrect, as these waves can traverse vacuums and various media, including liquids and gases. Thus, the most accurate definition involves the interaction and oscillation of electric and magnetic fields creating these waves of energy.