Which one of the following optical phenomena supports that the light is a transverse wave ?

Polarization is the definitive optical phenomenon that supports the transverse nature of light waves. In physics, waves are classified as either longitudinal or transverse based on the direction of their oscillations relative to the direction of propagation.

• Transverse vs. Longitudinal: Phenomena like refraction, diffraction, and interference are exhibited by both longitudinal waves (such as sound) and transverse waves. However, polarization can only occur in transverse waves.
• Mechanism: In a transverse wave, vibrations occur perpendicular to the direction of travel. Polarization involves restricting these vibrations to a single plane. Since longitudinal waves vibrate parallel to the direction of travel, they cannot be polarized.
• Conclusion: Because light can be polarized (as seen in Polaroid sunglasses or LCD screens), it proves that light consists of transverse electromagnetic waves where electric and magnetic fields oscillate perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.