Polarization
Variant i Dynamics first
Developed by Karen Wosilait and Peter Shaffer
This tutorial provides an introduction to polarizing filters.
Topics Waves and optics / Physical optics: models, representations, periodic circular waves, wave front diagrams, and physical optics
Materials
Materials by the UW team
- Equipment List
- Instructor’s Guide
- Sample Pre-test
- Sample Exam Questions
Tutorial details
In the first part of the tutorial, students explore the behavior of polarizing filters and investigate how they differ from ordinary colored filters. The tutorial guides students step-by-step to consider the component of the electric field and the component of the magnetic field that is transmitted through a filter. Students obtain additional practice with difficult situations, for example, one in which a third polarizing filter is placed between two crossed polarizing filters. Most students benefit from drawing a sequence of diagrams that shows the relationship between the direction of polarization and the directions of the incident and transmitted electric fields.
For instruction tips, login or register as a verified educator to see the Instructor Guide.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite tutorials
The Electromagnetic waves and Wave properties of light tutorials are prerequisites to Polarization.
Other prerequisites
Students should have worked through the tutorial Electromagnetic waves. The third homework problem also builds on the tutorial Wave properties of light.
Equipment
Special Instructions
- 12 marked polarizers
- 6 unmarked polarizers
- 2–3 sets of the following equipment, to be placed around tutorial room
- source of unpolarized light
- 3 marked polarizers
List
- white board or large sheet of paper with markers
Coming Soon! We hope to release the discussion section on each tutorial by the end of July 2024.
