Polarization
 

Polarization problem 18


A beam of vertically polarised monochromatic light is incident normally on a polarising filter, as shown in the figure below




The filter is positioned with its transmission axis at an angle of to the vertical. The incident light has intensity and the transmitted light has intensity .


  • By considering the ratio , calculate the ratio




  • The filter is now rotated, about the direction of the light beam, from its starting position shown in the figure above. The direction of rotation is such that the angle of the transmission axis to the vertical initially increases. Calculate the minimum angle through which the filter must be rotated so that the intensity of the transmitted light returns to the value that it had when the filter was at its starting position.



 

main author and content editor: Noble Menedi Firima