Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye. It consists of particles called photons, which are packets of energy that behave both as particles and waves.
Yes, light is considered an electromagnetic wave. Electromagnetic waves are composed of electric and magnetic fields oscillating perpendicular to each other and propagating through space. These waves are created by the acceleration of electric charges, such as the movement of electrons in atoms.
Unlike mechanical waves, such as sound waves, electromagnetic waves do not require a medium to propagate. This means that light can travel through a vacuum, like empty space, without the need for any material or substance. This was a groundbreaking discovery made by James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century.
Maxwell's equations, which describe the behavior of electromagnetic fields, show that the changing electric and magnetic fields can sustain each other and create self-propagating waves. These waves, including light, can travel through free space at a constant speed known as the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (or about 186,282 miles per second).
In summary, light is an electromagnetic wave consisting of photons that can propagate through free space without a medium.