Polarization: Light of intensity I₀ and polarized horizontally passes through three polarizes. The first and third polarizing axes are horizontal, but the second one is oriented 20.0° to the horizontal. In terms of I₀, what is the intensity of the light that passes through the set of polarizers? A) 0.780I₀ B) 0.180I₀ C) 0.442I₀ D) 0.883I₀

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because the intensity of the light that passes through the set of polarizers is 0.780I0. This is because the first and third polarizing axes are horizontal, so they do not affect the polarization of the light. The second polarizing axis is oriented 20.0° to the horizontal, so it transmits only 78.0% of the light that passes through it. Therefore, the intensity of the light that passes through the set of polarizers is 0.780I0.

Polarization: Light of Intensity I0 and Polarized Horizontally Passes Through

Polarization: Light of Intensity I₀ and Polarized Horizontally Passes Through