Polarisation

Question 1

What do polarising filters do? For which wave do they block out in terms light waves?

Answer 1

They only allow for oscillations of light to come through only one plane plane of the ELECTRIC FIELD, and absorbs oscillations in other directions.

Question 2

What’s a conclusion that can be drawn from light being able to be polarised?

Answer 2

Light demonstrates transverse wave behaviours.

Question 3

Why can only EM waves be polarised and not sound waves even though both are types of waves?

Answer 3

• EM Waves are transverse waves and act in multiple planes.
• Sound waves are longitudinal and oscillate only parallel to the wave’s direction of motion.
• Polarisation blocks out waves in certain planes, and so this can only be achieved with transverse waves.