Question

Polarized light passes through a polarizer. If the electric vector of the polarized light is horizontal what, in terms of the initial intensity I0, is the intensity of the light that passes through a polarizer if the polarizer is tilted 22.5° from the horizontal?

Answer 1

Answer: I0*0.853

Explanation:

Ok, the Malus's law says that:

If you have light polarized along a given line with an intensity I0, and it passes through a polaroid which axis of polarization forms an angle θ with respect to the polarization of the light, then the intensity of the resulting beam is:

I(θ) = I0*cos^2(θ)

For example, if the axis of the polaroid is exactly the same as the axis of polarization of the light beam that will impact it, then we have θ = 0°, and the equation above says that the intensity of the beam will not change.

In this particular case, we have that the intensity of the light is I0, and the angle is θ = 22.5°

Then:

I(22.5°) = I0*cos^2(22.5°) = I0*0.853