Only transverse waves can be polarised because polarisation restricts
- A. the speed of the wave
- B. the frequency of the wave
- C. the plane in which the vibrations occur
- D. the amplitude of the wave
Explanation
A transverse wave vibrates in any plane perpendicular to its direction of travel, so a filter can select one of those planes, whereas a longitudinal wave vibrates only along the direction of travel and there is nothing to select. This is why sound cannot be polarised but light can. The fact that light can be polarised is direct evidence that it is a transverse wave.