Linearly polarized light with an intensity of 400 Wm2 passes

Linearly polarized light with an intensity of 4.00 W/m^2 passes through a polarizer whose transmission axis is tilted at an angle of theta = 66.0degree clockwise relative to the vertical. The polarization angle, for the incoming light is 22.4degree. What is the intensity of the light once it has passed through the polarizer?

Solution

We can use the malus law to find the output intensity of the light, the law stating that the intensity of a beam of plane-polarized light after passing through a rotatable polarizer varies as the square of the cosine of the angle through which the polarizer is rotated from the position that gives maximum intensity.

Hence theta =66 - 22.4 = 43.6 degree

I = Io cos² (theta)

I = 4 cos² (43.6) = 2.097 W/m^2.

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