an experimenter has a light source that shines on a stack of polarizers, with an

Question

an experimenter has a light source that shines on a stack of polarizers, with an initial intensity i0 of 80 w/m2 . the first polarizer is a right circular polarizer, followed by a linear polarizer with the electric field axis at 0? . the final polarizer is also linear, with the electric field axis at a 50? angle. calculate the intensity of light transmitted through each polarizer in order (use i1 for the first one, i2 for the second, and i3 or if for the last one,) remembering that the transmitted intensity is calculated as some fraction of the incident intensity.

Explanation / Answer

From the Malus law, the intensity from the polarizer is

I = I0 cos^2 theta

from the first polarizer the intensity is half of the orizinal intensity is

I1 = I0/2 = 80 W/m^2/2 = 40 W/m^2

I2 = I1 cos^2 theta = 40 W/m^2 cos^2 0 = 40 W/m^2

for third polarizer

I3 = I2 cos^2 theta

   = 40 W/m^2 cos^2 ( 90-50) = 23.47 W/m^2

The ration of final intensiy to initial intensity is

I3/I0 = 23.47 W/m^2/80 W/m^2 = 0.293

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