Final answer:
To determine the angle that the transmission axis of the polarizing sheet makes with the horizontal, we can use the equation I = I0 cos^2 θ. Substituting the given values, we find that the angle is approximately 41.49°.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the angle that the transmission axis of the polarizing sheet makes with the horizontal, we can use the equation:
I = I0 cos2 θ
Where I is the intensity of the light after passing through the polarizing sheet, I0 is the intensity of the incident light, and θ is the angle between the transmission axis of the polarizing sheet and the horizontal.
In this case, the incident intensity (I0) is 0.884 W/m² and the average intensity after passing through the sheet (I) is 0.603 W/m². Substituting these values into the equation, we have:
0.603 = 0.884 cos2 θ
To solve for θ, we can rearrange the equation:
cos2 θ = 0.603 / 0.884
cos θ = sqrt(0.603 / 0.884)
Taking the square root of both sides gives:
cos θ ≈ sqrt(0.6825)
θ ≈ acos(sqrt(0.6825))
Using a calculator, we find that θ ≈ 41.49°. Therefore, the angle that the transmission axis of the polarizing sheet makes with the horizontal is approximately 41.49°.