Question

Unpolarized light with intensity${\mathit{I}}_{\mathbf{o}}$is incident on two polarizing filters. The axis of the first filter makes an angle of 60.0° with the vertical, and the axis of the second filter is horizontal. What is the intensity of the light after it has passed through the second filter?

Short answer

The intensity of the light after passing the second filter

Step-by-step solution

Malus’ law

According to Malus' law, the intensity of plane-polarized light that travels through an analyzer varies as the square of the cosine of the angle between the plane of the polarizer and the analyzer’s transmission axes.

Calculation

As

Value of

So, by substitution for a second filter

Thus, the intensity of the light after passing the second filter