Question

Unpolarized light has the electric field vectors of its electromagnetic wave pointing

Group of answer choices

in two perpendicular directions.

in random directions.

along the propagation direction.

in a single direction.

Two polarizers are set up with transmission axis perpendicular to each other. A third polarizer is inserted between them at 60 degrees to the vertical. What can we say about the light coming through?

Group of answer choices

No light will pass through.

Light will pass through with the same intensity as the original beam.

Light will pass through, but with less intensity as the original beam.

Unpolarized light enters a polarizer with vertical polarization axis. The light that passes through passes another polarizer with transmission axis at 40 degrees to the horizontal. What is the intensity of the light after the second polarizer expressed as a fraction of the original intensity?

Group of answer choices

0.5

0.293

0.413

0.207

0.587

Answer 1

1) Unpolarized light has the electric field vectors of its electromagnetic wave pointing

in random directions.

2) The angle between the first and second polariser is 30 degree and the angle between second and third polariser is 60 degree. Since no 2 consecutive polarisers are perpendicular to each other

Light will pass through, but with less intensity as the original beam.

3) After passing through first polariser, light intensity will reduce by 1/2. The angle between the first and second polariser is 90-40 =50 degrees. Therefore after passing through second polariser, the net intensity will be

1/2 x cos^2(50 degree) = 0.207