(a) At what angle above the horizontal is the sun if...

Name: Problem 26, Chapter 33: University Physics with Modern Physics
Uploaded: 2019-08-06T17:59:44-08:00
Duration: 1 min 33 s
Channel: Salamat Ali
Description: (a) At what angle above the horizontal is the sun if sunlight reflected from the surface of a calm lake is completely polarized? (b) What is the plane of the electric-field vector in the reflected light?

(a) At what angle above the horizontal is the sun if sunlight reflected from the surface of a calm lake is completely polarized? (b) What is the plane of the electric-field vector in the reflected light?

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Key Concepts

Brewster's Angle

Brewster's Angle is the specific angle of incidence at which light, when reflected from a dielectric interface such as water–air, becomes completely polarized perpendicular to the plane of incidence. This occurs because the reflected and refracted rays are at 90° to each other at this angle, leading to the elimination of the reflected wave’s component along the plane of incidence.

Polarization by Reflection

Polarization by Reflection refers to the phenomenon where light waves become partially or completely polarized upon reflecting from a surface. At Brewster's Angle, the reflected light is completely polarized, meaning its electric field oscillates in only one direction, which is useful in reducing glare in optical devices and enhancing contrast in photography.

Plane of Incidence

The Plane of Incidence is defined as the plane that contains the incident ray and the normal to the reflective surface at the point of incidence. In the context of polarization by reflection, the electric field vector of the reflected light oscillates perpendicular to this plane, which explains why the polarization direction is horizontal when the sun’s rays strike a horizontal surface at Brewster's Angle.

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