Practice question
Question
Why does light exhibit polarization only in specific directions when passing through a polaroid?
Explanation
**Two polaroids** with pass-axes perpendicular intensity zero because second blocks component, with 45° intensity I₀/4 if initial after first I₀, if initial unpolarized I₀, after first I₀/2 then after second at 45° I₀/4. Three polaroids first and third crossed 90°, middle at 45° maximum transmission because middle rotates polarization, I after first I₀/2, after middle at 45° I₀/4, after third at 45° to middle I₀/4×cos²45°= I₀/8, non-zero, maximum when middle 45°. The polaroid aligns the electric field along its pass-axis, absorbing components in other directions, restricting polarization to that plane. Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ,
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