Another problem for wave theorists was communicating the physical structure of waves that they were proposing. Wave-motion models such as the one pictured here became a popular means of investigating, visualising and explaining waves.
By the second half of the 19th century the wave theory was generally accepted within Britain. By this time, however, new problems had arisen. Light displays a property known as polarisation, which has been known since 1669. Physicists found it difficult to explain this phenomenon according to the wave theory.
Despite physicists' best efforts, it proved too complex to incorporate all of the properties of waves within a mechanical model. Towards the end of the 19th century, physicists abandoned mechanical models in favour of more abstract mathematical equations.