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#nature of light

2 public questions tagged with this topic.

What is the nature of unpolarized light?

**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°. Unpolarized light has electric vectors oscillating in all directions in the plane perpendicular to the propagation direction, random

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Polarization and Malus Law

What does the photoelectric effect demonstrate about the nature of light?

**Classical wave theory fails** to explain instant emission, threshold existence, K_max dependence on frequency not intensity, saturation current dependence on intensity. Observations: K_max independent of intensity, exists threshold frequency, emission instantaneous, all explained by photon model E = h f, one photon ejects one electron, energy conservation h f = Φ + K_max. The photoelectric effect shows that light behaves as discrete packets of energy (photons), supporting its particle nature. Applying E = h f = h c/λ, p = h/λ, K_max = h f - Φ, Φ = h f₀ = h c/λ₀, λ = h/√(2 m e V) and f_max =

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Dual Nature of Matter > Photoelectric Effect - Work Function and Threshold