What characterizes electromagnetic waves?

Electromagnetic waves are fundamentally characterized as transverse waves where both electric and magnetic fields oscillate perpendicularly to each other and to the direction of wave propagation. This means that as the electric field varies in strength and direction, the magnetic field also changes in a coordinated manner, creating a wave-like behavior.

These waves are unique because they do not require a medium, allowing them to travel through the vacuum of space, such as how sunlight reaches Earth. The oscillation of electric and magnetic fields occurs simultaneously, with the energy carried through space as these fields propagate.

The other options describe properties that do not apply to electromagnetic waves. Longitudinal waves, such as sound waves, involve oscillations in the same direction as the wave travels. The notion of requiring a medium is also inaccurate, as electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum. Lastly, static waves imply a lack of change in the electric and magnetic fields, which contradicts the very definition of electromagnetic waves, which are based on their dynamic, oscillating nature.