Unpolarized light is incident on two ideal polarizers in series, the p...
Let incident intensity be I
Intensity after first polarizer =
Intensity after the second polarizer = I
1 cos
2 Ø
where Ø s the angle between the polarizer pass axis of the second polarizer and first polarizer
Intensity of light through the 3rd polarizer is
Intensity of light through the 3rd polarizer is I
3 = I
2 cos
2 θ
where θ is the angle between pass axis polarizer 2 and 3. For I
3 to be maximum.
Put
because
the first and third polarizers are orthogonal
Put
Fraction is 0.125
The correct answer is: 0.125
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Unpolarized light is incident on two ideal polarizers in series, the p...
Degrees. As the third polarizer is rotated, the intensity of the light that emerges from the second polarizer will vary sinusoidally.
Initially, when the third polarizer is not inserted, all the light that is incident on the first polarizer is blocked by it. Therefore, no light emerges from the second polarizer.
When the third polarizer is inserted, its orientation is continuously rotated through 180 degrees. This means that at one extreme, the third polarizer is perpendicular to the first polarizer, and at the other extreme, it is parallel to the first polarizer.
When the third polarizer is perpendicular to the first polarizer, it blocks all the light that is incident on it. Therefore, no light emerges from the second polarizer.
When the third polarizer is parallel to the first polarizer, it allows all the light that is incident on it to pass through. Therefore, all the light that is incident on the first polarizer also emerges from the second polarizer.
As the third polarizer is continuously rotated, its orientation changes continuously from being perpendicular to being parallel to the first polarizer. This means that the amount of light that is allowed to pass through the third polarizer and reach the second polarizer varies continuously.
The intensity of the light that emerges from the second polarizer is directly proportional to the amount of light incident on it. Therefore, as the third polarizer is rotated, the intensity of the light that emerges from the second polarizer will vary sinusoidally.
The intensity will be maximum when the third polarizer is parallel to the first polarizer, and it will be minimum when the third polarizer is perpendicular to the first polarizer. The intensity will vary sinusoidally between these two extremes as the third polarizer is continuously rotated.