For a beam of light,the direction of polarization is defined as
A)the beam's direction of travel.
B)the direction of the $\vec { E }$ field's vibration.
C)the direction of the $\vec { B }$ field's vibration.
D)the direction that is perpendicular to both the $\vec { E }$ field and $\vec { B }$ field vectors.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The direction of polarization is defined as the direction of the electric field vector's vibration. This is because light is an electromagnetic wave, and the electric field and magnetic field vectors are perpendicular to each other and to the direction of propagation. Therefore, the direction of polarization is orthogonal to the direction of propagation as well as to the direction of the magnetic field vector.

For a Beam of Light,the Direction of Polarization Is Defined E⃗\vec { E }E

For a Beam of Light,the Direction of Polarization Is Defined $\vec { E }$