Question

What are the drawbacks of Huygens' wave theory?

Answer 1

Demerits of Huygens’ wave theory of light:

This theory could not explain rectilinear propagation of light. It could not explain Compton effect, photoelectric effect, Raman effect etc. Also it could not explain properly the propagation of light through vacuum. This is because ether has high elastic constant and zero density which gives contradictory results.

 

According to Huygens’ wave theory, luminiferous ether medium exists everywhere in the universe even in vacuum which is treated as material medium for propagation of light waves.

However, Michelson’s and Morley’s theory disapproved the existence of ether medium.

Answer 2

The drawbacks of Huygens wave theory is described below :

• Due to homogeneity of space (as they say that space is uniform everywhere).

• Jacques Hadamard noticed it while performing the experiment that whenever the spatial dimensions were supposed to be equal this principle couldn't be applied anywhere.

• It couldn't define rectilinear propagation of light nor it could define the propagation of light through the vacuum.