Can sound waves be polarized?Explain

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Jakob Chavez · Accepted Answer

There are two main types of waves depending on the direction of movement of the individual particles of the medium relative to the direction that waves travel: transverse and longitudinal waves.
Transverse wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium move in a direction perpendicular to the direction that the wave moves.
On the other hand, longitudinal waves are waves where particles of the medium move in the direction parallel to the direction that the wave moves.
Only transverse waves can be polarized so that their vibrations can potentially occur in all directions perpendicular to the direction of travel, vibrations are confined to a single plane.
In case of longitudinal waves, the vibrations occur along a single line, it is therefore not possible to confine that to a plane. 1D shape cannot be confined within a 2D shape.
In conclusion, sound is the longitudinal wave so it cannot be polarized.
Air molecules in the case of soundwave, cannot be polarized as they are moving in "front-to-back motion" and not "left-and-right" motion of transverse wave where the perpendicular position of electric and magnetic fields act on each other.

Can sound waves be polarized? Explain

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