Polarization experiments provide evidence that light is:
A)a longitudinal wave
B)a stream of particles
C)a transverse wave
D)some type of wave
E)nearly monochromatic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polarization experiments demonstrate that light waves are transverse waves, meaning that the oscillations of the electromagnetic field are perpendicular to the direction of propagation. This is evidenced by the fact that light can be polarized by only allowing waves oscillating in a certain direction to pass through a polarizing filter. Longitudinal waves, like sound waves, oscillate parallel to the direction of propagation and cannot be polarized in this way. The idea of light being a stream of particles, or photons, is a concept from quantum mechanics that is used to explain certain phenomena, but is not directly related to polarization. The other choices are either incorrect or irrelevant to the question.

Polarization Experiments Provide Evidence That Light Is