Electromagnetic waves have some important characteristics that help us understand how they work:

1. Speed: In outer space, electromagnetic waves travel as fast as light, which is about 300 million meters per second. That’s super fast!

2. Wavelength and Frequency: Wavelength (which is how long the wave is) and frequency (how often the wave happens) are related. You can think of it like this:

   • If you know the speed of light, which is constant, you can find the wavelength and frequency using this simple formula: $\text{Speed of light} = \text{Wavelength} \times \text{Frequency}$

3. Spectrum: The electromagnetic spectrum includes all types of waves, from gamma rays (very short waves) to radio waves (very long waves).

4. Transverse Waves: Electromagnetic waves are a type of transverse wave. This means they have electric and magnetic fields that move up and down at the same time, but they are at right angles to each other and to the direction the wave is going.

5. Changing Direction: Electromagnetic waves can change direction when they go into different materials, like water or glass. This is explained by something called Snell's law. They can also bounce off surfaces, which is called reflection.

These features are very important because they help us understand how electromagnetic waves behave and how we can use them in different situations.