The radio waves constitute a kind of electromagnetic radiation. However, they are similar to light, Xrays, and different kinds of radiation with a much greater wavelength. They move with the velocity of light (i.e., 300,000 km/166,000 miles per second), which is a lot more than the 340 meters (1,125 feet) per second at which sound travels throughout the air. It’s easy to get fooled by the reality it is the case that when we hear “radio,” you’re likely to imagine music or voices. Still, radio waves aren’t sound itself but rather the medium that transmits the digital signal to your hi-fi, which is then turned back into the sounds in the air that we hear.
Why is it taking so long for radio waves to traverse space?
In reality, radio waves travel extremely quickly through space. Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation, and therefore, they travel at the same speed as light. Light’s speed is just a little under 300,000 km/second. At the speed of light, one light beam could circle all around the Earth around the Equator over seven times in seconds.
The reason it takes the time it takes for radio signals to travel across space is that space is staggeringly vast. The distances that must be covered are so huge that even radio waves can take time to get there. For example, it takes approximately 8 minutes to send radio waves from Earth towards the Sun, for it takes four years for radio waves to travel there to reach the closest star.
Radio waves’ properties
Radio waves have distinctive properties that you must know about. The properties are described below.
- They are a type of electromagnetic wave. They possess more wavelength than that for infrared radiation.
- Radio waves can travel through obstacles or materials.
- Therefore, they can travel very long distances.
- Radio waves are invisible and can’t be felt.
- If they travel through space, it is at the same speed as light. However, their speed decreases when they pass through an object, based on the permeability of the material.
- Radio waves are characterized by an amplitude of between hundreds of meters to 30 centimeters.
- Radio waves can form by changing electrical currents. So, naturally, they are produced by lightning and other cosmic objects that show magnetic field shifts.
- Radio waves contain electric and magnetic components.
- They could be affected by absorption, refraction, reflection, and Polarization.
Do all the various types of radio waves move at the same rate?
The spectrum of radiofrequency is composed of various kinds of radio waves.
Because radio waves are a component of the electromagnetic spectrum, the radio waves all move at the same speed in space.
It is that of the light. However, If they traverse different mediums, their travel speed will differ.
For more information and assistance, visit the following websites.
https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/583093main_Earth_Calling.pdf
https://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/communications/2-why-does-it-take-so-long.html
https://www.howitworksdaily.com/why-do-radio-waves-travel-at-the-speed-of-light-and-not-sound/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_wave
http://www.bro.lsu.edu/radio/Classroom/06.Radio Versus Sound Waves/Radio_Versus_Sound_Waves.htm
https://www.radio4all.org/how-fast-do-radio-waves-travel/
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-speed-of-radio-waves
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1701081/
https://www.rfidjournal.com/question/how-do-radio-waves-travel-from-one-radio-to-another
https://www.universetoday.com/33752/device-makes-radio-waves-travel-faster-than-light/