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For polarization the direction of the oscillation has to be perpendicular to the direction of travel. In sound waves, which are longitudinal waves, this isn't the case and thereby can not be polarized.

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13y ago
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4mo ago

No, sound waves are mechanical waves that require a medium to propagate, such as air or water, and cannot be polarized like electromagnetic waves. Sound waves travel by compressing and rarefying the medium particles in the direction of wave propagation.

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13y ago

Sound is a vibrational wave. Light is a, well, light wave. Sound waves are caused when atoms hit into one another. Light is different from this. Light can be polarized because when it hits a polarizing filter, it is directionalized into an either horizontal or vertical direction. That is why one polarizing filter will block half the light that it filters, and that is why if a horizontal and vertical polarizing filter are put together to block light, no light will come through. All light vibrating in horizontal and vertical directions is blocked.

A sound wave is a compressional wave and has no directional orientation. It is similar to waves in the ocean or in an earthquake. They are caused when an atom is pushed one way, then that atom pushes the next atom and so on. This is not a very scientific answer, but I hope you see why in a general sense. A sound wave just cannot be polarized because it is not a light wave!

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11y ago

Sound waves in a fluid, such as air, are longitudinal waves and so they cannot be polarized like electromagnetic waves, which are transverse waves. Sound waves in solids can occur as longitudinal and transverse. The transverse waves can be polarized waves, like those of electromagnetic waves.

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14y ago

Sound in air can only be a longitudinal wave, not a transversal wave.

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14y ago

Sound waves can not be polarized because they are Longitudinal waves which propagate parallel to the direction of motion

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9y ago

Sound waves are compression-rarefaction waves which cannot be polarized. Only transverse waves can be polarized.

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Q: Can sound waves be polarized like electromagnetic waves can?
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Related questions

What kind of waves can be plane polarized?

Transverse waves, such as electromagnetic waves like light and radio waves, can be plane polarized. This means that the electric field oscillates in a single plane as the wave propagates. Longitudinal waves, like sound waves, cannot be plane polarized because their oscillations are in the same direction as the wave's propagation.


What kind of waves can be polarized?

Transverse waves can be polarized. This includes electromagnetic waves such as light, as well as other types of waves like water waves and seismic waves. Longitudinal waves, on the other hand, cannot be polarized.


Which type of light does the electromagnetic spectrum NOT contain?

The electromagnetic spectrum does not contain sound waves. It includes a range of electromagnetic waves, from radio waves to gamma rays, but does not include mechanical waves like sound.


Which types of these waves is not a mechanical wave?

Examples of mechanical waves are waves in the ocean and sound waves from devices like mouths, trombones, and radios. Electromagnetic waves like sunshine and X-rays are not mechanical waves because matter is not doing the waving.


Sound is not part of the electromagnetic spectrum because?

it is a mechanical wave that requires a medium to travel through, like air, water, or solids. Electromagnetic waves, on the other hand, can travel through a vacuum, such as light traveling through space. This distinction is what separates sound from other forms of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.


What would an image look like that shows polarized light waves?

Polarized light waves


Is electromagnetic a sound wave?

Sound waves and electromagnetic waves are different.Sound waves are the oscillating compression of molecules in a solid, liquid or gas. Electromagnetic waves are oscillations in the electric and magnetic fields. Sound waves, being mechanical, must have a material substance to travel through, but electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, where there is no matter as well as travel through material.Sound is, of course, the vibrations of air which we hear with our ears, but can be vibrations in solids like steel or liquids like water. Electromagnetic waves include radio waves, light from the sun, and even x-rays.


What requires a medium?

Mechanical waves (like sound waves) and electromagnetic waves (like light waves) require a medium to propagate through. However, electromagnetic waves can also travel through a vacuum.


How are sound waves and eletromagnetic waves different?

Sound waves are mechanical waves that require a medium to propagate, such as air or water, while electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, like in space. Sound waves are longitudinal waves that transmit energy through the vibration of particles, while electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Additionally, sound waves move at a much slower speed than electromagnetic waves.


Why are sound waves not on the electromagnetic spectrum?

Sound waves are mechanical waves that require a medium to travel through, such as air or water, whereas electromagnetic waves do not require a medium and can travel through a vacuum. Sound waves are produced by the vibration of particles in the medium, while electromagnetic waves are produced by the oscillation of electric and magnetic fields. This fundamental difference in their nature places sound waves outside of the electromagnetic spectrum.


Can electromagnetic waves travel without a medium?

Yes, electromagnetic waves can travel through vacuum because they are self-propagating and do not require a medium for transmission. This is one of the unique properties of electromagnetic waves compared to other types of waves like sound waves.


Are light waves electromagnetic or mechanical?

Light waves are electromagnetic in nature. They consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that do not require a medium (such as air or water) to propagate through. This is different from mechanical waves, like sound waves, which require a medium to travel through.