What is a light wave best described as?

A light wave is best described as a vibration of electric and magnetic fields, which is fundamental to the nature of electromagnetic waves, including light. This description captures the essence of how light propagates through space, demonstrating the interconnectedness of electricity and magnetism as described by Maxwell's equations. The oscillating electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to each other and to the direction of the wave's travel, creating an electromagnetic wave that can move through a vacuum, unlike sound waves, which require a medium.

While other descriptions like "a particle that carries electromagnetic energy" touch upon the particle nature of light, particularly in the context of photons in quantum mechanics, they fail to encapsulate the wave aspect of light adequately. Describing light as a disturbance in a medium is incorrect since light does not necessarily require a medium to propagate. Finally, identifying light waves as reflections of sound waves is misleading as they are fundamentally different phenomena governed by distinct physical principles. Thus, the characterization of light waves as vibrations of electric and magnetic fields is the most comprehensive and accurate depiction of their nature.