Speed of Waves

• The speed of a wave depends on the density and elasticity of the material that the wave is passing through for mechanical waves.

• The speed of all electromagnetic waves is constant. This is usually called the speed of light and has the symbol c.

• c = 3.0 x 108 m/s

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Speed of sound varies with temperature!

Speed of light is a ìspeed limit.î Nothing can travel faster than c.

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