The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 300,000 kilometers per second (or about 3 × 10⁸ meters per second).
How it relates to electromagnetic waves:
- All electromagnetic waves (radio waves, microwaves, visible light, X-rays, etc.) travel at this same speed in a vacuum.
- This speed is a universal constant, often denoted by the letter c.
- It means electromagnetic waves can move through empty space (vacuum) without needing any material to carry them.
- The speed of light is crucial for understanding how quickly information and energy are transferred by electromagnetic waves across space.