Velocity

The velocity of an electromagnetic wave describes its speed and direction of travel.

  • Velocity is a vector meaning that it has both magnitude and direction.
  • Velocity can be thought of as the rate at which an object changes its position whilst also keeping track of its direction of travel.
  • The velocity of an electromagnetic wave at any instant refers to its speed and direction.
  • Speed is a scalar value meaning that it can be measured at any particular moment but can change over time.
  • Speed is the rate at which an object covers distance.
  • The maximum speed of an electromagnetic wave is 299,792,458 metres per second.
Related diagrams

Each diagram below can be viewed on its own page with a full explanation.

References