How is polarized light produced?

Polarized light is produced when light waves are restricted to oscillate in a particular direction. One common way this occurs is through reflection, where light hitting a surface (like water or glass) reflects off at a specific angle, causing the light waves to align in a preferred direction. Additionally, polarizing filters can be used to produce polarized light by allowing only light waves oscillating in a certain orientation to pass through, thereby blocking others.

This is distinct from processes like scattering, which disperses light in multiple directions and does not lead to polarization, or refraction through a prism, which typically results in the separation of different wavelengths of light rather than polarization. Generating light with varying frequencies refers to a broader spectrum phenomenon and does not pertain directly to the alignment of light waves necessary for polarization. Thus, the correct method of producing polarized light effectively focuses on selective reflection or the use of filters that enforce this directional constraint.