A circularly polarized EM wave has an electric field magnitude 3.0 mV/m. If the wave passes through a polarizer, what will be the amplitude of the electric field in the transmitted wave?
A) 3.0 mV/m
B) 2.1 mV/m
C) 1.5 mV/m
D) 0

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A circularly polarized wave is a superposition of two linearly polarized waves with equal amplitudes and a 90-degree phase difference. When a circularly polarized wave passes through a polarizer, one of the linearly polarized waves is blocked, and the other is transmitted. The amplitude of the electric field in the transmitted wave is therefore half of the amplitude of the electric field in the incident wave.

A Circularly Polarized EM Wave Has an Electric Field Magnitude