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One common way to polarize a beam of light is to?

1) Filter out the longest wavelengths of the spectrum
2) Filter out the shortest wavelengths of the spectrum
3) Slow it down using a piece of glass
4) Use a sheet of Polaroid material

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

A common method to polarize light is by using a sheet of Polaroid material, which only allows light with a specific polarization to pass through. Therefore, the correct answer is option 4) Use a sheet of Polaroid material

Step-by-step explanation:

One common way to polarize a beam of light is to use a sheet of Polaroid material. Such materials were invented by Edwin Land, the founder of the Polaroid Corporation, and they function as a polarizing slit for light. Only light waves with an electric field parallel to the filter's axis can pass through these filters.

This is because the polarizing filters consist of long molecules aligned in one direction, acting like slits that block all other orientations of light.

Therefore, these Polaroid materials allow only light polarized in one direction to pass through, effectively reducing glare and enhancing visual clarity in certain situations, such as when light is reflected off water or glass.

Polarizing a beam of light is commonly achieved by using a sheet of Polaroid material.

Polaroid materials act as a polarizing slit for light, allowing only polarization in one direction to pass through. They are composed of long molecules aligned in one direction, which acts as a polarizing filter.

The axis of a polarizing filter is the direction along which the filter passes the electric field of an electromagnetic (EM) wave.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 4) Use a sheet of Polaroid material

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