Electromagnetic waves are members of a family of waves with common properties called the electromagnetic spectrum.
All electromagnetic waves:
are transverseAt 90 degrees. In transverse waves, the vibrations are at 90 degrees to the direction in which the waves travel. waves;
can travel through a vacuumA volume that contains no matter.;
travel at exactly the same speed in a vacuum, the speed of light, 300,000,000 m/s.
Like all waves, electromagnetic waves:
transfer energy from one place to another;
can be reflected;
can be refractionProcess by which a wave changes speed and sometimes direction upon entering a denser or less dense medium, eg a light ray changes direction when refracted by a lens..
Differences
Each type of wave in the electromagnetic spectrum has different:
wavelengthThe length of a single wave, measured from one wave peak to the next.;
frequencyThe number of waves produced each second. The unit of frequency is hertz (Hz)..