11.

5 Polarization
11.5.1 Describe what is meant by polarized light.

Unpolarized light contains vibrations of the electric field that are not just in one
direction, but in any direction in a plane that is perpendicular to the direction of
travel (the transverse plane)

Polaroid lenses absorb one component of the transverse vibration, and transmit
the other
The action of removing one component of vibration is called plane polarization

Longitudinal waves cannot be polarized, but all EM waves can be

11.5.2 Describe polarization by reflection.

Polaroid filters are not the only means by which light can become polarized
light reflected from surfaces is at least partially polarized

Surfaces of glass and water generally cause partial polarization of the reflected
beam the refracted beam is also partially polarized, but to a smaller extent

11.5.3 State and apply Brewsters law.

n = sin / cos or n = tan

If light is not incident in air, n1 cannot be eliminated from the equation, and so
Brewsters law becomes
n1 / n2 = tan

11.5.4 Explain the terms polarizer and analyzer.

The polarizer is a polaroid sheet; after passing through the polarizer, the intensity
of light incident is halved by preferential absorption
After transmission, the plane polarized wave is incident on the analyzer, another
polaroid sheet intensity is reduced to zero

11.5.5 Calculate the intensity of a transmitted beam of polarized light using Malus law.

The amplitude A of the component parallel to the transmission plane is

A = Aocos

The amplitude of the light is proportional to the amplitude of the electric field, but
the intensity of the light is proportional to the square of the amplitude
I = Ao2cos2
I = Iocos2

11.5.6 Describe what is meant by an optically active substance.

Many materials, especially organic compounds, affect the direction of vibration of

the traveling field of EM radiation
Effect is not detectable with unpolarized light; only in polarized light is a change
in the direction of polarization detectable

11.5.7 Describe the use of polarization in the determination of the concentration of

certain solutions.

A solution of sugar is contained in an instrument called a polarimeter a tube

that is bounded at either end with a polaroid

Polarimeter length (l), sugar concentration (C) and angle of rotation () are
combined to produce a specific angle of rotation s, known as the optical activity
s = / lC

used in the sugar industry to measure the concentration of syrups; being

developed to measure blood sugar levels in diabetics

11.5.8 Outline qualitatively how polarization may be used in stress analysis.

The optical activity of plastic and glass is dependent on stress; stress alters the
speed of the two components of polarized light

11.5.9 Outline qualitatively the action of liquid-crystal displays (LCDs).

Liquid crystals are neither solid (molecules fixed in position/orientation) nor

liquid (continually changing) molecules keep a fixed orientation while changing
position
A liquid crystal display consists of two crossed polaroids with an LC placed
between them (without the LC, light from the polarizer will be blocked by the
analyzer)

11.5.10 Solve problems involving the polarization of light.