Homework Help: physics

Posted by Melissa on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:13pm.

The angle between the polarizer transmission axis and the plane of polarization of the incoming light is 30 +/- 2 deg. If the incident light intensity Io is 100 W/cm2 what would be the intensity I after the light is transmitted through the polarizer? What would be the percent error in intensity?

physics - drwls, Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 4:53am
I = 100 cos30 = 86.6

Max = 100 cos28 = 88.3
Min = 100 cos32 = 84.8

Percent error: +/- 2%

This assumes a lossless polarizer (when aligned in the proper plane), such as a Wollaston or Nicol prism type. Polaroid sheet film has large losses, even in the plane of polarization.

It also assumes that the incoming radiation is perfectly plane-polarized.

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