What does polarization of light refer to?

Polarization of light refers to the orientation of the oscillations of light waves. Light waves are electromagnetic waves that oscillate in various directions. However, when light is polarized, the oscillations are restricted to a specific plane or direction. This means that the electric field component of the light wave vibrates in only one direction rather than in all directions perpendicular to the direction of propagation.

For instance, unpolarized light, such as sunlight, contains waves that vibrate in all possible orientations. When light is polarized, it might be filtered or reflected such that it only vibrates in a certain direction (for example, vertically or horizontally). This concept is crucial in many practical applications, such as in sunglasses that reduce glare by blocking certain orientations of light, or in photography, where polarized filters enhance the contrast of images by managing how light interacts with surfaces.

The other options address different aspects of light but do not relate directly to polarization: the bending of light waves pertains to refraction, intensity refers to the brightness or energy of light, and light absorption characteristics deal with how materials interact with light by absorbing certain wavelengths. Thus, the focus on the orientation of light wave oscillations makes the correct answer clear.