1. Three polarizing disks are centered on a common axis and held parallel to each other. The transmission axes of the disks have the following angles measured from the vertical direction: &theta1 = 20.0, &theta2 = 40.0, &theta3 = 60.0. A plane-polarized beam of light with E0 parallel to the vertical direction is incident from the left on the first disk with a flux density F0 = 10.0 units. Calculate the transmitted flux density.
2. The index of refraction of air decreases with increasing temperature. (a) A mirage is formed when the air gets gradually cooler with increasing altitude. Make a sketch of the actual and apparent paths of a ray traveling from the an object towards an observer and show why the eye sees the mirage. (b)What might happen if the air grew gradually warmer with altitude? This often happens over bodies of water or snow-covered ground; the effect is called looming. Make a sketch as in part (a).
3. Determine the minimum height of a wall mirror that will permit a 6-ft person to view his/her entire height. Sketch rays from the top and bottom of the person, and determine the proper placement of the mirror such that the full image is seen, regardless of the person's distance from the mirror.
4. You observe a rectangular glass slab of thickness 2.25cm from above. A small source of light is located at the bottom face. You observe that rays of light exit the top surface in a circle of 7.60 cm in diameter. Determine the refractive index of the glass.
5. Why does the arc of a rainbow appear with red on the top and violet on the bottom?
Last updated September 15, 2009