Question

Sound waves can’t be polarized. Explain:

Answer 1

Hint In general, the waves are classified as two according to the direction of the motion of the waves. The two types of the waves are longitudinal waves and the transverse waves. These are the two types of the waves, according to the direction of the motion of the waves.

Complete solution
The sound waves are the which moves in the longitudinal directions, if the waves are in longitudinal direction, then the vibration parallel to the direction of the travel of the waves. If the waves are in transverse direction, then the vibration perpendicular to the direction of the travel of the waves. The vibration of the waves is transferred through the environment from neighbour to the neighbour. This type of energy transfer is wave motion. The waves move energy through a medium without moving the whole medium. When the waves transfer the energy by pushing the neighbour molecule in the same direction that the energy moves, then the waves are called longitudinal waves.
As the sound waves are in the longitudinal direction, then the sound waves oscillate parallel to the direction of the motion of the sound waves. Since, there is no component of the sound waves to oscillate in the perpendicular motion, then the sound waves are not polarised.
The transverse waves can be polarised but the longitudinal waves cannot be polarised, because the transverse waves are having the perpendicular component so that the waves which are acting in the transverse direction are easily polarised, but the sound waves of the longitudinal direction are not polarised.

Note The place when the group of the particles is in together are the volumes of high pressure so these waves are called pressure waves. The sound waves are the example of the pressure waves, then they are able to move through gases, liquids and gases.