Polarization - GRE Subject Test: Physics

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Question

A beam of unpolarized light passes through two linear polarizers whose polarization axes are at an angle theta with each other. The light initially has an intensity , and has an intensity of after passing through both polarizes. Find ?

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Answer

Initially unpolarized light passing though a linear polarizer decreases in intensity by a factor of two:

Malus's Law gives the change in intensity of polarized light passing through a linear polarizer in terms of the change in angle of polarization:

Combining the two equations, we get:

Solving for :

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