On the basis of which of the following phenomena, the transverse nature of light waves is confirmed?
The transverse nature of light waves is confirmed based on the phenomenon of polarization. Polarization demonstrates that light waves oscillate perpendicular to their direction of propagation. This is distinct from longitudinal waves, confirming that light behaves as a transverse electromagnetic wave, where electric and magnetic fields oscillate perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
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The transverse nature of light waves is confirmed based on the phenomenon of polarization (Option [C]). Polarization refers to the orientation of the electric field component of light waves as they propagate. When unpolarized light passes through a polarizing filter, only the component of the electric field aligned with the filter’s polarization axis can pass through, demonstrating that light waves oscillate perpendicular to their direction of propagation.
This behavior aligns with the characteristics of transverse waves, where oscillations occur perpendicular to the wave’s direction of travel. Polarization effects are observed in various optical phenomena, including glare reduction, 3D movie viewing with polarized glasses, and the study of light interaction with materials such as crystals.
While interference (Option [B]), double refraction (Option [A]), and reflection (Option [D]) also demonstrate various properties of light waves, they do not directly confirm the transverse nature of light waves as conclusively as polarization does. Therefore, polarization stands out as the phenomenon that unequivocally supports the transverse wave nature of light.