Because electromagnetic radiation is the only type of wave that can travel through a vacuum
Explanation:
There are two types of waves:
- Mechanical waves: these are waves generated by the oscillations of the particles in a medium. Due to their nature, they always need a medium to propagate, so they cannot travel through a vacuum (and so they cannot propagate in space). Examples of mechanical waves are sound waves.
- Electromagnetic waves (electromagnetic radiation): they consist of oscillations of the electric field and the magnetic field in a plane perpendicular to the direction of motion the wave. These are the only types of waves that can travel through a vacuum, since they do not need a medium to propagate. All electromagnetic waves travel in a vacuum at the same speed, the speed of light, whose value is [tex]c=3.0\cdot 10^8 m/s[/tex]
.
Electromagnetic waves also are classified into 7 different types, according to their wavelength/frequency. From shortest to longest wavelength, they are:
Gamma rays
X-rays
Ultraviolet radiation
Visible light
Infrared radiation
Microwaves
Radio waves
So, electromagnetic radiation from distant stars is able to reach us since it can travel through a vacuum.
Learn more about electromagnetic radiation:
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