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Asked in GUJCET 2007 · Transverse, uncharged and polarised
Idea: polarising a wave means restricting its oscillation to one plane out of the many that contain the direction of travel.
Only a wave whose oscillation is at right angles to the direction of travel offers such a choice of planes.
In an electromagnetic wave both ⃗E and ⃗B oscillate perpendicular to the direction of propagation, and perpendicular to each other.
So an electromagnetic wave can be polarised, while a longitudinal wave cannot.
The fact that polarisation is observed therefore proves the waves are transverse.
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