Polarization
The property of transverse electromagnetic waves specifying the geometric orientation of their electric field vector oscillations in space.
Governing formula
E(z,t) = E0 cos(k z - ω t) i_hat
SI unit
N/A
In depth
Light can be unpolarized (random field orientation), linearly polarized (fixed oscillation plane), circularly polarized, or elliptically polarized. Only transverse waves can be polarized.
Examples in the real world
Polaroid filter sheets passing only electric field oscillations aligned with their transmission axis while absorbing orthogonal components.