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Are light waves longitudinal or transverse

1 Answer

2 votes

Answer:

Transverse

Step-by-step explanation:

There are two types of waves, depending on the direction of their oscillations:

- Transverse wave: in a transverse wave, the oscillation occurs in a direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave. Examples are electromagnetic waves

- Longitudinal wave: in a longitudinal wave, the oscillation occurs parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave. Examples are sound waves

Light waves are just the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, therefore they are electromagnetic waves, which consist of oscillations of electric and magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave. Therefore, light waves are transverse waves.

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