Question

A beam of light, with intensity I₀, is passing through a polarizer and an analyzer as shown in figure.

1. State Malus law related to the intensity of light transmitted through the analyzer.

2. If 6 = 45°, what is the relation of the intensities of original light and transmitted light after passing through the analyzer?

3. Which of the following waves can be polarized

• X-rays
• sound waves. Why?

Answer 1

1. The Malus law states that the intensity of the polarized light transmitted varies as the square of the cosine of the angle between the plane of transmission of the analyser and plane of polarizer.

3. X-rays. Because it is a transverse wave.