Practice question
Question
Why does the intensity of transmitted light through a polaroid decrease when rotated, even if the
incident light is unpolarized?
Explanation
**Wavefront types** point source spherical, distant point source plane, after convex lens plane wave focuses to point because lens adds phase delay proportional to thickness, converging spherical wavefront, after concave mirror plane wave becomes spherical converging to focus, illustrating Huygens construction. Unpolarized light becomes polarized after the first polaroid, and the second polaroid’s pass-axis alignment determines the transmitted component, reducing intensity as the angle increases. Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation gives Polarization of unpolarized light, illustrating interference, diffraction and polarization principles.
Discussion
Comments
Please log in to join the discussion.
Login to commentNo comments yet. Be the first to start the discussion.