POLARIZATION

MALUS’ LAW
GENERAL PHYSICS 2
GRADE 12 - SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS
(STEM)

Prepared by:
ELEANOR A ESCARIO
 MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING
COMPETENCY

CALCULATE THE INTENSITY OF THE

TRANSMITTED LIGHT AFTER PASSING
THROUGH A SERIES OF POLARIZERS
APPLYING MALUS’ LAW
(STEM_GP12OPTIVC-18)
OBJECTIVES:
1. STATE MALUS LAW.
2.SOLVE PROBLEMS APPLYING
MALUS LAW
3. RELATE POLARIZATION TO
COMMON PHENOMENA
What can you say about this picture:
Pre- Assessment:
1. All of the following are examples of a polarizer EXCEPT?
A. The lenses in a pair of sunglasses.
B. polarizing filter on a camera.
C. Part of an LCD screen.
D. Anti-glare glasses.
E. clear, regular pane of glass.
2. Which of the following is NOT a real-life use of polarizers?
A. Reducing the brightness of the sun by wearing sunglasses.
B. Creating an image on an LCD screen.
C. Sending radio transmissions.
D. Taking a photo of the fish under the surface of a lake.
E. Black-out curtains.
Pre- Assessment:
1. All of the following are examples of a polarizer EXCEPT?
A. The lenses in a pair of sunglasses.
B. polarizing filter on a camera.
C. Part of an LCD screen.
D. Anti-glare glasses.
E. clear, regular pane of glass.
2. Which of the following is NOT a real-life use of polarizers?
A. Reducing the brightness of the sun by wearing sunglasses.
B. Creating an image on an LCD screen.
C. Sending radio transmissions.
D. Taking a photo of the fish under the surface of a lake.
E. Black-out curtains.
WHAT’S IN?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

LIGHT STRIKES A
POLARIZER OR A
POLAROID GLASS?
 What’s in?
POLARIZATION is property of certain electromagnetic
radiations in which the direction and magnitude of the vibrating
electric field are related in a specified way.
when light falls on a POLARIZER, the transmitted LIGHT
GETS POLARIZED. (I = ½ I0) the polarized light falling on another
polaroid, called ANALYZER, transmits light depending on the
orientation of its axis with the polarizer.
the intensity of light transmitted through the analyzer is given
by MALUS' LAW.
DIAGRAM:
 Polarizers are usually made out of oblong
shaped molecules, all aligned in the same direction.
It turns out that if the polarization of the incident
light is the same as alignment orientation, then the
light is most likely to be absorbed.
If the polarization is perpendicular (forms 90
degrees) to the long axis of molecules, then it is
transmitted almost entirely and that direction is the
axis of the polarizer.
If the angle of polarization is something in
between , it passes through partially and its initial
intensity decreases. The exact value can be
calculated using Malus law.
What is MALUS
LAW?
MALUS LAW- the law stating that the
intensity of a beam of plane-polarized light
after passing through a rotatable polarizer
varies as the square of the cosine of the
angle through which the polarizer is rotated
from the position that gives maximum
intensity.
POLARIZATION OF LIGHT

POLAP
ACTIVITY 1
Problem 1:
An unpolarized light with
intensity (I) is passing through
a polarizer. what happens to
the intensity of incident light?
Problem 1:

An unpolarized light with intensity (i)

is passing through a polarizer. what
happens to the intensity of incident
light?
solution:
An unpolarized light of intensity (I) passes
through a polarizer, the intensity of the
outcoming light becomes half of its initial value.
 I1

Problem 2:
WHAT IS THE RESULTING INTENSITY
IF THE POLARIZED LIGHT WITH AN
INTENSITY (I1) PASSES THROUGH AN
ANALYZER (SECOND POLARIZER) AT
AN ANGLE OF 450 FROM THE
POLARIZING AXIS?

I1
PROBLEM: I 1

1. AN UNPOLARIZED LIGHT WITH INTENSITY (I) IS

PASSING THROUGH A POLARIZER. WHAT IS THE
INTENSITY OF INCIDENT LIGHT?
ANS: I = ½ IO
2. WHAT IS THE RESULTING INTENSITY IF THE POLARIZED
LIGHT WITH AN INTENSITY (I1) PASSES THROUGH AN
ANALYZER (SECOND POLARIZER) AT AN ANGLE OF 45
DEGREES FROM THE POLARIZING AXIS?
ANS: I = I1 COS2 450

I = I1 (0.707)(0.707)

I = I1 (0.499)
MALUS LAW FORMULA
The intensity (I) of polarized light after passing through a polarizing
filter is usually measured in W/m2. the light intensity, which passes through
the ideal polarizer can be calculated as:

I = I0 COS2 Ɵ
Where, Io is the initial intensity of light and ɵ is the angle between
the direction of polarization and the axis of the filter.
ACTIVITY 2:

1. UNPOLARIZED LIGHT WITH AN INTENSITY OF IO = 16 W/m2 IS

INCIDENT ON A PAIR OF POLARIZERS. THE FIRST POLARIZER HAS
ITS TRANSMISSION AXIS ALIGNED AT 50O FROM THE VERTICAL.
THE SECOND POLARIZER HAS ITS TRANSMISSION AXIS ALIGNED
AT 20O FROM THE VERTICAL.
WHAT IS THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT WHEN IT EMERGES
FROM THE FIRST POLARIZER?
• 4 W/m2
• 16 COS2 50O
• 8 W/m2
• 12 W/m2
 ACTIVITY 2:
1. UNPOLARIZED LIGHT WITH AN INTENSITY OF IO = 16 W/m2 IS
INCIDENT ON A PAIR OF POLARIZERS. THE FIRST POLARIZER HAS ITS
TRANSMISSION AXIS ALIGNED AT 50O FROM THE VERTICAL. THE
SECOND POLARIZER HAS ITS TRANSMISSION AXIS ALIGNED AT
20O FROM THE VERTICAL.
WHAT IS THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT WHEN IT EMERGES FROM
THE FIRST POLARIZER?
• 4 W/m2
• 16 COS2 50O
• 8 W/m2
• 12 W/m2
THE LIGHT IS UNPOLARIZED,
So I1 = 1/2 IO = 8 W/m2.
ACTIVITY 2:
1. Unpolarized light with an intensity of i o = 16 W/m2 is incident on a pair of polarizers.
the first polarizer has its transmission axis aligned at 50 o from the vertical. The second
polarizer has its transmission axis aligned at 20 o from the vertical.
What is the intensity of the light when it emerges from the first polarizer?
A. 4 W/m2
B. 16 COS2 50O
C. 8 W/m2
D. 12 W/m2
2. What is the intensity of the light when it emerges from the second polarizer?
A. I2 = 4 W/m2

B. I2 = 8 COS2 20O
C. I2 = 6 W/m2
D.
I2 = 10 W/m2
 1. Unpolarized light with an intensity of io = 16 W/m2 is incident on a pair of polarizers. the first
polarizer has its transmission axis aligned at 50o from the vertical. The second polarizer has its
transmission axis aligned at 20o from the vertical.
What is the intensity of the light when it emerges from the first polarizer?
A. 4 W/m2
B. 16 COS2 50O
C. 8 W/m2
D. 12 W/m2 THE LIGHT IS UNPOLARIZED, so I1 = 1/2 IO = 8 W/m2.
2. What is the intensity of the light when it emerges from the second polarizer?
A. I2 = 4 W/m2

B. I2 = 8 COS2 20O
C. I2 = 6 W/m2
D.
I2 = 10 W/m2
WHEN IT EMERGES FROM THE FIRST POLARIZER THE LIGHT IS LINEARLY
POLARIZED AT 50O. THE ANGLE BETWEEN THIS AND THE TRANSMISSION AXIS OF THE
SECOND POLARIZER IS 30O.
therefore:
 How do you calculate
the intensity of light as
it changes under
rotation of polarizer ?
• TO CHECK HOW THE INTENSITY OF POLARIZED LIGHT CHANGES, WHILE YOU ROTATE YOUR
POLARIZER.
1. CHOOSE A FEW DIFFERENT VALUES OF THE AXIS OF POLARIZER ORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO
Ɵ₁=20° OF INCIDENT RAYS,
THE POLARIZATION θ₂=45°,
example θ₃=70°

0.939, 0.707 0.342

2. DETERMINE COS Θ OF THIS ANGLES, WHICH ARE

0.883 0.5 RESPECTIVELY, 0.117

• 3. FIND SQUARES OF THIS VALUES:
I₁=4.415 W/m² I₂=2.5 W/m² I₃=0.585 W/m²...

• 4. MULTIPLY THEM BY THE INITIAL INTENSITY, SAY I ₀=5 W/ m²:

• Intensity of light changes under rotation.

• You can always express obtained results as the percentages of initial intensity.
Ɵ₁=20° I =10 θ
W/m²=5
₂=45° W/m² ( at first θ ₃=70°
polarizer)

0.939 0.707 0.342

0.883 0.5 0.117

I₁= 4.415 W/m² I₂ = 2.5 W/m² I₃= 0.585 W/m²
APPLICATION:
Carson Bush is driving down the road on a sunny day.
Reflection of light off the road surface results in a large
amount of polarization and a subsequent glare. Annoyed by
the glare, Carson pulls out his Polaroid sunglasses. How
must the axes of polarization be oriented in order to block the
glare? (Note: the lines on the filters below represent the axis
of polarization.)
Explain
what is the
difference
when a
person don’t
have or
wearing
polaroid
glasses.
ENRICHMENT
1. Describe the resulting intensity (and the orientation) of shining light through two
polarizing filters whose transmission axes are parallel to each other.

2. Describe the result of shining light through two polarizing filters whose transmission
axes are perpendicular to each other. describe the intensity and the orientation of the
emerging light

.
 1. Describe the resulting intensity (and the orientation) of shining light through two
polarizing filters whose transmission axes are parallel to each other.

Ans: 50 PERCENT
2. Describe the result of shining light through two polarizing filters whose transmission
axes are perpendicular to each other. Describe the intensity and the orientation of the
emerging light

Ans: ZERO
.
 ASSESSMENT

A polarized light of intensity I0 = 20 W/m² passes

through another polarizer whose pass axis makes an
angle of 60 degrees with the pass axis of the former.
What is the intensity of emergent polarized light from
the analyzer (second polarizer)? Write your answer on your
activity sheet.
 ASSIGNMENT:

Can sound waves in air be

polarized? Explain why.
Write your answer on a ¼ sheet of paper.