Polarization Filters Video Lessons

Concept

# Problem: Unpolarized light of intensity I0 is incident on three polarizing filters. The axis of the first is vertical, that of the second is 30° from vertical, and that of the third is horizontal. What light intensity emerges from the third filter?

###### FREE Expert Solution

Whenever an unpolarized light passes through a polarizer, its intensity reduces by a factor of 1/2.

It is also important to note that the transmitted light is polarized along the axis of the polarizer.

The transmitted intensity of a polarized light of intensity I0 incident on a polarizer is:

$\overline{){\mathbf{I}}{\mathbf{=}}{{\mathbf{I}}}_{{\mathbf{0}}}{\mathbf{c}}{\mathbf{o}}{{\mathbf{s}}}^{{\mathbf{2}}}{\mathbf{\theta }}}$

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###### Problem Details

Unpolarized light of intensity I0 is incident on three polarizing filters. The axis of the first is vertical, that of the second is 30° from vertical, and that of the third is horizontal. What light intensity emerges from the third filter?