The wave theory of light was proposed by Huygens. Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch physicist and mathematician, put forth the idea in the late 17th century. He suggested that light propagates as a wave through a medium called the luminiferous aether, explaining various optical phenomena such as reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
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The wave theory of light was proposed by Huygens (Option [B]). Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch scientist, introduced this theory in the late 17th century. He postulated that light propagates as a wave through a medium known as the luminiferous aether. Huygens’ wave theory provided explanations for phenomena such as reflection, refraction, and diffraction, which could be understood based on the principles of wave interference and superposition.
Sir Isaac Newton (Option [A]), on the other hand, initially proposed a corpuscular theory of light, where he described light as a stream of particles. This theory had difficulty explaining certain optical behaviors but gained traction due to Newton’s reputation.
Options [C] Planck and [D] Faraday were influential in other areas of physics, particularly in quantum theory and electromagnetism, respectively, but they did not propose the wave theory of light.
Thus, Huygens is credited with pioneering the wave theory of light, which laid the foundation for modern understanding of light as an electromagnetic wave.