A progressive wave can be either a mechanical wave or an electromagnetic wave, depending on the nature of the wave itself.
Mechanical waves are waves that require a medium (such as a solid, liquid, or gas) to propagate. Examples of mechanical waves include sound waves and seismic waves (earthquakes).
Electromagnetic waves, on the other hand, do not require a medium and can propagate through a vacuum. Examples of electromagnetic waves include light waves, radio waves, and X-rays.
A progressive wave refers to a wave that continuously transfers energy from one point to another without any net displacement of the medium. It can be a mechanical wave if it requires a medium to propagate, such as a sound wave traveling through air or a water wave traveling through water. In these cases, the particles of the medium oscillate back and forth as the wave passes through.
However, a progressive wave can also be an electromagnetic wave, such as light. Electromagnetic waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that can propagate through vacuum or any transparent medium. Unlike mechanical waves, electromagnetic waves do not rely on the motion of particles in a medium for their propagation.
Therefore, a progressive wave can be both a mechanical wave or an electromagnetic wave, depending on the specific nature of the wave in question.