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

The intensity of the unpolarized light becomes half when incident through a polarizer.

It is given that the intensity of the unpolarized light is

Io = 80 W/m2

Thus, the transmitted light emerge from the first polarizer is

I1 = I0 / 2

    = 80 W/m2 / 2

    = 40 W/m2

It is given that the second polarizer is set with the electric field axis at an angle of 0

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