A beam of light passes through a polarizer and then an analyzer. In this process, the intensity of the light transmitted is reduced to 10% of the intensity incident on the analyzer. What is the angle between the axes of the polarizer and the analyzer?
A)18°
B)22°
C)68°
D)72°

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The intensity of light after passing through a polarizer and analyzer is given by Malus's Law: I = I₀ * cos²(θ), where θ is the angle between the polarizer and analyzer. Given that the transmitted intensity is 10% of the incident intensity, we have 0.1 = cos²(θ). Solving for θ gives θ ≈ 72°.

A Beam of Light Passes Through a Polarizer and Then