Physics · Dawn of Modern Physics

A light wave is an electromagnetic wave which travels through the vacuum of outer space and transparent materials like glass. Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves in the sense that the plane of the wave vibrations is different from the plane of wave propagation. The electromagnetic waves in the true sense have the direction of propagation perpendicular to the direction of its electric and magnetic fields. In the case of polarized waves, the electric and magnetic fields are also at right angles to each other. Polarized light waves are electromagnetic waves in which the vibrations occur in a single plane. Light can be polarized by transmission, reflection, refraction or scattering. Using a polaroid filter, different planes of vibration of polaroid filters can be blocked due to the special material used there. Due to the polarization of light, it is evident that light is a transverse wave.

Interference is the overlapping of light waves. It doesn’t show transverse nature as longitudinal waves (and all other types of waves) also show interference.

Refraction is bending of wave as it passes from one medium to another. It also happens in all waves so isn’t a characteristic transverse nature showing property.

Polarization refers to the direction of the electric field (in case of electromagnetic waves by convention). Only transverse waves can be polarized so presence of this property will show the transverse nature of light.

Dispersion is scattering of light and is also shown by all kinds of waves.