Questions on Electromagnetic Waves

1. What is an action-at-a-distance force? How is it different from typical forces we deal with in our daily lives?
2. Aside from the electric and magnetic forces, name another action-at-a-distance force.
3. What is a field? In what way is it a better model to use than the action-at-a-distance force?
4. How is the concept of field different from concept of "aura"?
5. In an electromagnetic wave what is it that travels? How fast does it travel?
6. What if electromagnetic waves traveled instantaneously? How would that affect our lives?
7. When the spaceship Enterprise fires on and blows up its enemy's ship does anyone hear the explosion? Do the people on the Enterprise see the explosion?
8. What is a photon? What determines its frequency, its speed?
9. What is the significance of the amplitude of an electromagnetic wave? What does it signify in the photon picture?
10. What is a Gamma-ray? What generates gamma-rays?
11. How are X-rays generated? Name some of the practical uses of X-rays.
12. What is the typical wavelength of:    radio waves, microwaves, and visible light.