electromagnetic radiation question

Question

anonymous · Answer

so when a wave self propagates (changing electric and magnetic fields) it could travel through a vacuum? so both waves and particles can travel through a vacuum then?  @mstoldegon

mstoldegon · Answer

The answer to both questions are Yes.
   A. Think of light from a star, the Sun, or the Moon. Also radio signals to and from the Mars Rovers. All of these form of EMR are self propagating waves, having an electric field oscillating in one plane and the magnetic field oscillating in a plane at right angles.
   B. If by "particles" you mean those associated with EMR, the answer is yes. Although the particles are part of the Wave-Particle Duality of EMR that states that EMR has both a Wave characteristic AND a Particle characteristic. But only one or the other characteristic will be present at any one time,. Think of the particle form of light - photons. They travel through the vacuum of space very well.
   Think of light from a star. It travels across space as this duality. When it reaches your eyes, its character of a wave stimulates rods in your eyes and you "see" the star. If the same light from a star was to be absorbed by a Solar Cell (Photovoltaic or PV panel), it would knock electrons loose from the atoms of the call by means of the light's photons (or particles), not the light waves.