Why is light a transverse wave?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Apr 28, 2015

Light is a transverse wave because its components vibrate perpendicular to the direction of propagation.

A transverse wave is a wave that oscillates perpendicular to its direction of propagation.

A light wave is an electromagnetic wave.

It has an electric and a magnetic component.

www.schoolphysics.co.uk

As the wave propagates in (say) the z direction, the electric field is oscillating in (say) the y direction and the magnetic field is oscillating in the x direction.

Since the x and y axes are perpendicular to the z axis, light is a transverse wave.

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