A beam of polarized light of intensity I₀ passes through a sheet of ideal polarizing material.The polarization axis of the beam and the transmission axis of the sheet differ by 45°.What is the intensity of the emerging light? A) 0.25I₀ B) 0.87I₀ C) 0.50I₀ D) 0.75I₀

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a linearly polarized light passes through an ideal polarizer, the intensity of the transmitted light is given by I = I0 cos2(θ) where θ is the angle between the polarization axis of the incident light and the transmission axis of the polarizer. In this case, θ = 45°, so I = I0 cos2(45°) = 0.5I0. Therefore, the intensity of the emerging light is 0.5I₀. The correct choice is C.

A Beam of Polarized Light of Intensity I0 Passes Through

A Beam of Polarized Light of Intensity I₀ Passes Through