Type of Waves

Waves transfer energy without transferring matter.There are two types of waves: mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves.Mechanical Waves are vibrations that pass through a medium. The particles in the medium vibrate in a way that causes adjacent particles to vibrate in the same way.Examples of mechanical waves are sound waves, seismic waves and water waves.Electromagnetic waves do not need a medium and can travel through a vacuum. They are electrical and magnetic disturbances caused by oscillating electric and magnetic fields in space at right angles to each other and to the direction of travel of the wave.Examples are radio waves, microwaves, infra red, visible light, ultra violet radiation, X-rays and gamma radiation.
The electric and magnetic fields oscillate in phase with each other.The vibrating electric field generates a vibrating magnetic field, then the vibrating magnetic field generates a vibrating electric field further on.