Practice Polarization in Physics
Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.
Quick Recap
Polarization is the restriction of a transverse wave's oscillations to one direction or plane.
A polarizing filter only lets through certain vibration directions.
Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.
Example 1
challengeUnpolarized light passes N polarizers, each rotated by from the previous. Derive the output intensity for and compare with the crossed case ().
Example 2
mediumPolarized light enters a polarizer and 1/3 of the intensity emerges. Find the angle .
Example 3
mediumFind Brewster's angle for light going from air () into water ().
Example 4
easyVertically polarized light hits a polarizer rotated from vertical. Find the transmitted intensity in terms of .
Example 5
mediumLinearly polarized light of intensity hits a polarizer at to its polarization. Find .
Example 6
hardPolarized light of intensity passes a single polarizer; the output is . Find the angle to one decimal place.
Example 7
easyLight is already polarized vertically and hits a polarizer with a vertical axis. How much passes?
Example 8
hardA photographer uses a circular polarizer to deepen the blue sky. Why is sky light partially polarized?
Example 9
challengeUnpolarized light passes three polarizers at , , and (each angle relative to the previous). Find the final intensity.
Example 10
easyPolarization restricts a wave's oscillations to one direction. What type of wave can be polarized?
Example 11
easyUnpolarized light of intensity passes a single ideal polarizer. Find the transmitted intensity.
Example 12
easyTwo ideal polarizers are aligned with each other and unpolarized light enters. What intensity emerges?
Example 13
mediumLight passes two polarizers and the output is when the input was polarized along the first polarizer's axis. Find the angle between the polarizers.
Example 14
easyPolarized sunglasses block glare from a wet road. The reflected glare is mostly polarized in which orientation?
Example 15
easyCan a longitudinal sound wave in air be polarized?
Example 16
mediumA 200 W/m^2 unpolarized beam passes through two ideal polarizers, the second at to the first. Find the final intensity.
Example 17
mediumPolarized light at to a polarizer. Find the transmitted intensity.
Example 18
hardFind Brewster's angle for light passing from water () into glass ().
Example 19
challengePolarized light passes two polarizers. The first is aligned with the light; the second is at angle . The final intensity is . Find .
Example 20
easyPolarization restricts oscillations of a wave to one direction. Which mathematical law describes the intensity through an ideal polarizer when the input is linearly polarized at angle to the axis?