Principle
If light is incident upon a glass surface, then a part of that
light will be refracted and the other part reflected. At the same
time, it is polarized in such a way that the vector of the
electrical field strength of the polarized reflected Iight
oscillates at right angles to the incident plane, and that of the
refracted light oscillates parallel to the incident plane.
Polarization of the refracted Iight will be the greater, the less
the angle of incidence deviates from 56° and the more glass plates
it passes through.
Benefits
- Multifunctional light box - All-in-one: Can be used for geometric optics on the table, colour mixing and on an optical bench
- Extension with others sets at anytime, no additional light sources needed, recognition value for students
Tasks
- Investigate whether light which has travelled through glass
plates and thus undergone refraction, is polarized.
- Find out whether there is a correlation between polarization
and a) the angle of incidence and b) the number of glass plates
used.