Question

Sound waves in air differ from the electromagnetic waves in that they cannot be

• A. diffracted
• B. polarised
• C. reflected
• D. refracted

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

polarised

Sound waves in air travel parallel to the direction that the particles within it oscillate it (definition of a longitudinal wave) . it propagates in 1 dimensional direction. Transverse waves have 2 components (and electric E component, and a magnetic M component). these components propagate at right angles to each other (i.e. it travels in two dimensions). Therefore it is possible to polarize transverse waves but not Sound waves