Final answer:
In a double-slit experiment, light does not inherently become polarized as it passes through the slits; the primary phenomenon is interference. Polarization can occur through interactions with materials but is not a direct result of the double-slit configuration itself unless polarizing elements are specifically introduced.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether polarization also happens in a double-slit experiment as it does in a diffraction grating, where the electromagnetic (EM) radiation becomes polarized with the electric and magnetic field components aligned. The polarization of light in general can be described using Malus's law, which gives us the relationship between the incident intensity, the transmitted intensity, and the angle between the direction of polarization and the axis of a filter. However, in a typical double-slit experiment, light does not inherently become polarized as it does when passing through a polarizing filter or a diffraction grating with polarizing characteristics. Polarization can occur when EM waves interact with materials in specific ways, such as through the scattering of light by air molecules.
In a double-slit experiment, the primary phenomenon is interference rather than polarization. Each slit acts as a new source of waves that spread out and overlap with waves from the other slit, creating interference patterns on a viewing screen. This phenomenon is illustrated by the condition necessary to obtain constructive interference for a double slit, which is mathematically similar to that of a diffraction grating. The analysis of double-slit diffraction patterns does not typically deal with polarization unless additional polarizing elements are introduced into the experimental setup.