Physics 1122
Experiment 10
Name_________________________________
Pre Lab
Instructor name _________________________
1. (5 pts) What is the difference between polarized and unpolarized light? Please give some
examples.
2. Light shines through two polarizers. Initially both transmission axes are aligned and then the
second polarizer is rotated while the other remains fixed. Sketch the intensity of the transmitted
light as a function of the angle through which the second polarizer is rotated. Please give detailed
explanation for your results. (10 pts)
3. Unpolarized light with an intensity of 28.4 𝑙𝑢𝑥 passes through a polarizer whose transmission
axis is vertically oriented. What is the direction of polarized beam and intensity of the transmitted
light? If the polarizer’s transmission axis is at an angle of 65.0° with the vertical, what is the
intensity of the transmitted light and its? Please show detailed calculations. (15 pts)
4. Vertically polarized light with an intensity of 32.8 𝑙𝑢𝑥 passes through a polarizer whose
transmission axis is an angle of 55.0° with the vertical. What is the intensity and direction of
transmitted light? If the second polarizer whose transmission axis is an angle of 83.0° with the
vertical is placed after first polarizer, what is the intensity of transmitted light? Please show
detailed calculations. (15 pts)
5. Light from an incandescent source transmits through a polarizer whose transmission axis makes
an angle of 35.0° with respect to the vertical; i. e., the 35.0 − 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘 on the polarizer lines
up with the index mark on the component carrier. The light intensity after passing through the
polarizer is 75.3 𝑙𝑢𝑥. (a) At what angle would you need to set a second polarizer in order to have
no light transmitted through the second polarizer? (b) At what angle would you need to set the
second polarizer to obtain a light intensity of 26.4 𝑙𝑢𝑥? Assume the polarizers are ideal. Please
show detailed calculations. (15 pts)