Question
Why longitudinal waves cannot be polarised ?
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Answer
Light waves are transverse while sound waves are longitudinal. Polarisation of a wave means separation of bibrations taking plane in one direction from the vibrations taking place in all other directions in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave. In a longitudinal wave the vibrations take place in the direction of propagation of the waves hence the question of polarisation does not arise. It is for this reason that polarisation is never observed in sound waves.
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