What characteristic is shared by both electrical and mechanical waves?

Both electrical and mechanical waves share the characteristic of having a frequency and a wavelength. Frequency refers to the number of oscillations or cycles that occur in a given period of time, while wavelength is the distance between successive points of similar phase in the wave, such as crest to crest or trough to trough.

In mechanical waves, such as sound waves or waves on a string, these properties arise from the vibrations of particles in a medium. For example, in sound waves, the frequency determines the pitch of the sound, while the wavelength is related to how far apart those compressions and rarefactions are in the medium.

Similarly, electromagnetic waves, which include radio waves, visible light, and X-rays, also have a frequency and wavelength, though they do not require a medium and can propagate through a vacuum. In electromagnetic waves, frequency is linked to energy, and the wavelength determines the type of electromagnetic radiation.

This commonality highlights the fundamental nature of waves across different contexts, whether they involve a medium (as in mechanical waves) or propagate through vacuum (as in electromagnetic waves).