As a domain expert in physics, I can explain why light is considered a transverse wave. Light is a transverse wave because its oscillations occur perpendicular to the direction of its propagation. This means that the wave's oscillations, which are due to the electric and magnetic fields, happen at a right angle to the path that the wave travels. In a transverse wave, there are crests and troughs that move up and down or side to side while the wave itself moves forward. This is in contrast to a longitudinal wave, where the oscillations occur in the same direction as the wave's travel, like sound waves in air or pressure waves in water. The fact that light is a transverse wave is a fundamental aspect of the electromagnetic theory, which describes light as an electromagnetic wave resulting from the interaction of electric and magnetic fields. The oscillations of these fields are what create the wave pattern we observe as light. read more >>

Light is a transverse wave because its components vibrate perpendicular to the direction of propagation. A transverse wave is a wave that oscillates perpendicular to its direction of propagation. It has an electric and a magnetic component.read more >>