What is the effect of rotating a polarizer in front of a polarized light source?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the effect of rotating a polarizer in front of a polarized light source?
Intensity remains constant
Intensity increases
Intensity decreases
Intensity first increases then decreases
As the polarizer is rotated, the intensity of the transmitted light varies according to the cosine square of the angle between the light's polarization direction and the polarizer's axis.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is the effect of rotating a polarizer in front of a polarized light source?
Solution: As the polarizer is rotated, the intensity of the transmitted light varies according to the cosine square of the angle between the light's polarization direction and the polarizer's axis.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand that polarized light has a specific direction of vibration. This means the light waves are aligned in one direction.
Step 2: A polarizer is a special filter that only allows light waves aligned with its axis to pass through.
Step 3: When you place a polarizer in front of a polarized light source, the light can pass through the polarizer if its direction matches the polarizer's axis.
Step 4: As you rotate the polarizer, the angle between the light's polarization direction and the polarizer's axis changes.
Step 5: The intensity of the light that comes out of the polarizer depends on this angle. Specifically, it follows a mathematical rule called 'cosine square'.
Step 6: When the angle is 0 degrees (aligned), the light is at its brightest. As you rotate to 90 degrees (perpendicular), the light intensity drops to zero.
