Polarized light is a part of nature, but polarized sound is not. Why?

Question

Why is it? Can you please explain the physics behind this.

Answer 1

Sound and light are totally different physics...I doubt if there is significant commonality.

Light:

Sound: propagates by pressure waves--no electric or magnetic fields involved. Will not propogate in a vacuum

Light: Propogates by some combination of electric or magnetic fields...prefers a vacuum.

Answer 2

Light waves are transverse waves, which means their direction of propagation is perpendicular to their direction of vibration. Transverse waves can be polarized. In fact, that is how we know light is a transverse wave, from polarization experiments. (Young's interference experiment proved light is a wave, but it took polarization measurements to prove it is a transverse wave.)

Sound waves are longitudinal waves, which means their direction pf propagation is aligned with their direction of vibration. Longitudinal waves cannot be polarized.

In essence, light can be polarized because its waves are transverse, but sound cannot be polarized because its waves are longitudinal.