Science Common Sense

1669 - Why can light travel through a vacuum but mechanical waves cannot?

Light is a type of electromagnetic wave. It doesn't need anything to travel through, like air or water. This is because it's made of tiny particles called photons that can move around by themselves.

On the other hand, mechanical waves (like sound waves) need a medium like air or water to travel through. They make tiny particles in their path vibrate, which helps the wave move. Vacuum is empty space, so there's nothing for mechanical waves to vibrate, and that's why they can't travel through it.