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einsteinsdog | 23:07 Thu 01st Dec 2005 | Science
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Does light travel in longitudinal and transverse waves ? If not why not?
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no, light travels only as transverse waves.

longitudinal can be thought of as vibrations; light does not vibrate from place to place. if it did, then how would it ever get from the sun to earth? (given that in between is vacuum).

it travels as a transverse electric component, purpendicular to its transverse magnetic component (so they're at right angles to eachother); both of which are purpendicular to the direction it's travelling in.
14:44 Fri 02nd Dec 2005
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Presumably only waves in a medium would exhibit both types , and light dosent need a medium
18:36 Wed 07th Dec 2005

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