Technician 2026-2030T3B04
What is the velocity of a radio wave traveling through free space?
A
Answer
Radio wave propagation
Type
A
Speed of light
B
Speed of sound
C
0.86 times the speed of light
D
1.86 times the speed of sound
Answer Notes
Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, residing on the exact same spectrum as visible light, microwaves, and X-rays. Because of this, radio waves travel at the exact same speed as light when moving through a vacuum or free space, which is approximately 300,000,000 meters per second.
Distractors mentioning the speed of sound are incorrect; sound is a mechanical wave requiring a physical medium, traveling vastly slower than radio waves. Furthermore, while signals inside a physical coaxial cable might travel at a fraction of the speed of light, radio waves in free space do not experience this slowdown.
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What are the two components of a radio wave?
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What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency?