Other Optics Principles - AP Physics 2
Card 1 of 40
Light rays encounter a mystery optical device, resulting in a new distribution of the light waves as shown. Assume the light travels from right to left.
What type of reflecting or refracting surface is depicted?
Light rays encounter a mystery optical device, resulting in a new distribution of the light waves as shown. Assume the light travels from right to left.
What type of reflecting or refracting surface is depicted?
Tap to reveal answer
In a converging lens, the light waves pass through it and have their angles altered so that they point closer together than they did before they went through the lens. In the picture, the light waves are diverging from a point until they go into the lens, at which point they no longer diverge from each other. Therefore, this is a converging lens. Because the waves are travelling the same direction the whole time, it can't be the converging or diverging mirrors. If the lens were diverging, they'd be more separated. If it were a plane mirror, the waves would get polarized (they'd have the same phase angle).
In a converging lens, the light waves pass through it and have their angles altered so that they point closer together than they did before they went through the lens. In the picture, the light waves are diverging from a point until they go into the lens, at which point they no longer diverge from each other. Therefore, this is a converging lens. Because the waves are travelling the same direction the whole time, it can't be the converging or diverging mirrors. If the lens were diverging, they'd be more separated. If it were a plane mirror, the waves would get polarized (they'd have the same phase angle).
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If a person with near point distance of 20cm observes a fine detailed coin with magnifying glass with an angular magnification of 5, what is the focal length?
If a person with near point distance of 20cm observes a fine detailed coin with magnifying glass with an angular magnification of 5, what is the focal length?
Tap to reveal answer
Use the formula for focal length.
Solve for focal length by substituting known values.
Use the formula for focal length.
Solve for focal length by substituting known values.
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Malus' law:
Where 
is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, 
is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and 
is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another at angle 
to the first. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the second polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Using Malus' law.
Since the initial light is unpolarized, there will be no intensity lost.
Using Malus' law.
Since the initial light is unpolarized, there will be no intensity lost.
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Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle 
to the first, and then another at angle to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. It is thus necessary to use Malus' law twice.
Where 
is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. It is thus necessary to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
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Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle 
to the first, and then another at angle 
to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where 
is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle 
to the first, and then another at angle 
to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where 
is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle 
to the first, and then another at angle 
to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the second polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where 
is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle 
to the first, and then another at angle 
to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus law twice.
Where 
is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus law twice.
Where
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
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You are passing a ray of light through clear alcohol to determine properties. You shine the light ray exactly 
to the surface of alcohol.
Suppose that the alcohol surface will completely reflect the incoming light beam like a mirror. At what angle will the angle of reflectance be to the normal of the surface of the alcohol?
You are passing a ray of light through clear alcohol to determine properties. You shine the light ray exactly
Suppose that the alcohol surface will completely reflect the incoming light beam like a mirror. At what angle will the angle of reflectance be to the normal of the surface of the alcohol?
Tap to reveal answer
Assuming the alcohol works like a perfect mirror, the angle of reflectance will equal the angle of incidence. Therefore, the angle of reflectance will be 
Assuming the alcohol works like a perfect mirror, the angle of reflectance will equal the angle of incidence. Therefore, the angle of reflectance will be
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The diffraction of waves refers to the
The diffraction of waves refers to the
Tap to reveal answer
Diffraction is the bending of light around an object. It is seen in the Double Slit experiment in which waves are spread out from their initial line of travel.
Diffraction is the bending of light around an object. It is seen in the Double Slit experiment in which waves are spread out from their initial line of travel.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Light rays encounter a mystery optical device, resulting in a new distribution of the light waves as shown. Assume the light travels from right to left.
What type of reflecting or refracting surface is depicted?
Light rays encounter a mystery optical device, resulting in a new distribution of the light waves as shown. Assume the light travels from right to left.
What type of reflecting or refracting surface is depicted?
Tap to reveal answer
In a converging lens, the light waves pass through it and have their angles altered so that they point closer together than they did before they went through the lens. In the picture, the light waves are diverging from a point until they go into the lens, at which point they no longer diverge from each other. Therefore, this is a converging lens. Because the waves are travelling the same direction the whole time, it can't be the converging or diverging mirrors. If the lens were diverging, they'd be more separated. If it were a plane mirror, the waves would get polarized (they'd have the same phase angle).
In a converging lens, the light waves pass through it and have their angles altered so that they point closer together than they did before they went through the lens. In the picture, the light waves are diverging from a point until they go into the lens, at which point they no longer diverge from each other. Therefore, this is a converging lens. Because the waves are travelling the same direction the whole time, it can't be the converging or diverging mirrors. If the lens were diverging, they'd be more separated. If it were a plane mirror, the waves would get polarized (they'd have the same phase angle).
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
If a person with near point distance of 20cm observes a fine detailed coin with magnifying glass with an angular magnification of 5, what is the focal length?
If a person with near point distance of 20cm observes a fine detailed coin with magnifying glass with an angular magnification of 5, what is the focal length?
Tap to reveal answer
Use the formula for focal length.
Solve for focal length by substituting known values.
Use the formula for focal length.
Solve for focal length by substituting known values.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another at angle to the first. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the second polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Using Malus' law.
Since the initial light is unpolarized, there will be no intensity lost.
Using Malus' law.
Since the initial light is unpolarized, there will be no intensity lost.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle to the first, and then another at angle to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. It is thus necessary to use Malus' law twice.
Where is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. It is thus necessary to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle to the first, and then another at angle to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combining equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle to the first, and then another at angle to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle to the first, and then another at angle to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the second polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.
Where
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
Malus' law:
Where is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle to the first, and then another at angle to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?
Malus' law:
Where
Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle
Tap to reveal answer
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus law twice.
Where is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.
is the intensity after the second polarizer.
is the intensity after the third polarizer.
is the angle between the first and second polarizers.
is the angle between the second and third polarizers.
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
Use Malus' law.
The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus law twice.
Where
Combine equations:
Plug in values:
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
You are passing a ray of light through clear alcohol to determine properties. You shine the light ray exactly to the surface of alcohol.
Suppose that the alcohol surface will completely reflect the incoming light beam like a mirror. At what angle will the angle of reflectance be to the normal of the surface of the alcohol?
You are passing a ray of light through clear alcohol to determine properties. You shine the light ray exactly
Suppose that the alcohol surface will completely reflect the incoming light beam like a mirror. At what angle will the angle of reflectance be to the normal of the surface of the alcohol?
Tap to reveal answer
Assuming the alcohol works like a perfect mirror, the angle of reflectance will equal the angle of incidence. Therefore, the angle of reflectance will be
Assuming the alcohol works like a perfect mirror, the angle of reflectance will equal the angle of incidence. Therefore, the angle of reflectance will be
← Didn't Know|Knew It →
The diffraction of waves refers to the
The diffraction of waves refers to the
Tap to reveal answer
Diffraction is the bending of light around an object. It is seen in the Double Slit experiment in which waves are spread out from their initial line of travel.
Diffraction is the bending of light around an object. It is seen in the Double Slit experiment in which waves are spread out from their initial line of travel.
← Didn't Know|Knew It →