Question

Q.6 (same as problem 3) The phenomenon that distinguishes transverse waves from longitudinal waves is

A. Frequency

B. Amplitude

C. Polarization

D. Speed

Answer 1

C. Polarization

By definition longitudinal waves oscillate in the direction of wave travel. Transverse waves, by definition, oscillate perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.

Viewed head on, transverse light waves oscillate in all orientations 360 degrees around the direction of travel axis. Thus the amplitude and orientation of a given wave can be defined by polar coordinates, amplitude and angle.

The surfing waves are oscillating up/down, along the 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock axis. The snaking waves are oscillating sideways, along the 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock axis. And of course, there are waves oscillating in between these two extreme orientations.

Polarized glasses, like we use in 3D movies, take advantage of the polarization of light waves by blocking out all but two orientations. Then two images, one for each orientation, are shone on the screen so that one lens lets through one image and the other lens lets through the other image. The brain merges those two different images into one 3D image and that's how the surfing and snaking oscillations can lead to a good evenings entertainment at the movies.