Polarisation

Which sort of wave is unable to be polarised?

Feb/March 2024

A beam of polarised light with intensity $I$ falls normally on a polarising filter. The intensity of the transmitted light is $I$. The filter is then rotated about the normal axis through an angle $\theta$. The transmitted light now has intensity $0.75I$. What is the angle $\theta$?

Feb/March 2025

Any wave that can be polarised must be

May/June 2011

When a calculator's liquid crystal display is viewed through a polarising film, the appearance of the display varies as the film is turned. Which property of the radiation from the calculator display is being described?

May/June 2013

Two polarising filters are positioned adjacent to one another with their planes aligned parallel. The transmission axis of the first polarising filter is inclined at $50^{\circ}$ to the vertical. The transmission axis of the second polarising filter is inclined at $20^{\circ}$ to the vertical. The separation angle between the transmission axes of the two polarising filters is $30^{\circ}$. A beam of vertically polarised light with intensity $8.0\,\text{W m}^{-2}$ falls normally on the first polarising filter. What is the intensity of the light emerging from the second polarising filter?

May/June 2022

A beam of light that is vertically polarised is directed normally at a polarising filter. The filter’s transmission axis makes an angle of $40^\circ$ with the horizontal. What is the ratio $\dfrac{\text{amplitude of transmitted beam}}{\text{amplitude of incident beam}}$?

May/June 2023

A beam of light that is vertically polarised and has intensity $I_0$ is incident normally on a polarising filter. The filter’s transmission axis makes an angle of $45^{\circ}$ to the vertical. The light that passes through this filter then falls normally on a second filter. The transmission axis of the second filter is horizontal. What is the intensity of the beam of light after it has passed through the second filter?

May/June 2023

A source of plane polarised light is viewed through two polarising filters. The filters are arranged so that the source is seen at maximum brightness. One filter is then turned clockwise and the other is turned anticlockwise by the same amount. What is the appearance of the source when both filters have been rotated $90^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$ from their starting positions?

May/June 2023

A plane-polarised wave of amplitude $A$ is directed normally onto a polarising filter. The transmission axis of the filter is at angle $\theta$ to the plane of polarisation of the incident wave. What is the amplitude of the wave that emerges from the filter?

May/June 2024

Polarisation occurs with some waves. Which waves are unable to be polarised?

May/June 2024

A student carries out an investigation into microwave polarisation. The microwaves emitted by the transmitter are vertically polarised. If a metal grille is inserted between the microwave transmitter and the receiver, it behaves as a polarising filter. The voltmeter reading is proportional to the intensity of microwaves that pass through the grille. With the grille’s transmission axis vertical, the voltmeter shows $3.50\,\text{V}$. The grille is then turned through an angle $\theta$. The new voltmeter reading is $2.20\,\text{V}$. Determine $\theta$.

May/June 2024

Which group consists solely of waves that are able to be polarised?

May/June 2025

Light with intensity $I_0$ that is vertically polarised is incident normally on a polarising filter. The filter’s transmission axis makes an angle $\theta$ with the plane of polarisation of the light. After the light passes through the filter, its intensity becomes $\dfrac{I_0}{3}$. What is $\theta$?

May/June 2025

Which phenomenon occurs only in transverse waves?

May/June 2025

A horizontal beam of light falls normally on a polarising filter. The incident light is vertically polarised and has an intensity of $24\,\text{W m}^{-2}$. The transmission axis of the filter is inclined at an angle of $30^\circ$ to the vertical. What is the intensity of the light in the transmitted beam?

May/June 2025

State the reason why sound waves cannot be polarised.

May/June 2025

When plane-polarised light with amplitude $a$ is sent through a polarising filter, as illustrated, the amplitude of the light that emerges is $a \cos \theta$. The intensity of the incident beam is $I$. What is the intensity of the emerging light when $\theta$ is $60.0^\circ$?

Oct/Nov 2010

As plane-polarised light with amplitude $a$ passes through a polarising filter, as illustrated, the amplitude of the transmitted light becomes $a\cos\theta$. The intensity of the original beam is $I$. What is the intensity of the transmitted light when $\theta$ is $60.0^{\circ}$?

Oct/Nov 2010

A wave that is able to be polarised must be

Oct/Nov 2011

If plane-polarised light with amplitude $A$ is incident on a polarising filter, as illustrated, the amplitude of the transmitted light is $A \cos \theta$. The intensity of the original beam is $I$. Determine the intensity of the transmitted light when $\theta$ is $60.0^\circ$?

Oct/Nov 2013

When plane-polarised light with amplitude $A$ is sent through a polarising filter as illustrated, the emerging light has amplitude $A \cos \theta$. The intensity of the incident beam is $I$. What is the intensity of the light emerging when $\theta$ is $60.0^\circ$?

Oct/Nov 2013

Which statement describes a situation in which polarisation could not take place?

Oct/Nov 2014

Which statement gives a situation in which polarisation could not happen?

Oct/Nov 2014

Which of the following wave motions can be used to show the phenomenon of polarisation?

Oct/Nov 2015

Polarisation is a phenomenon linked with a particular kind of wave. Which condition must be satisfied for a wave to be polarised?

Oct/Nov 2015

Polarisation is a feature of light waves, but it does not happen for sound waves.

Oct/Nov 2022

Microwaves that are vertically polarised are produced by a source. A receiver, linked to a cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO), detects these microwaves. On the CRO screen, the displayed waveform has an amplitude of $2.6\,\text{cm}$. A metal wire grid acting as a polarising filter is then inserted between the source and the receiver. The filter is set so that the plane of polarisation of the transmitted wave makes an angle of $20^\circ$ with the vertical. The separation between the source and receiver stays the same. The CRO settings are also kept unchanged. What is the amplitude of the waveform now shown on the CRO screen?

Oct/Nov 2023

A plane-polarised light wave with intensity $I_0$ falls normally on a polarising filter. The intensity of the wave transmitted at first is $0$. A second polarising filter is then placed between the source and the first filter. Its transmission axis makes an angle of $45^\circ$ with the transmission axis of the first filter, as shown. What is the intensity of the wave transmitted by the filter combination?

Oct/Nov 2023

A vertically polarised electromagnetic wave with intensity $I_0$ is incident normally on a polarising filter. The filter’s transmission axis makes an angle of $30^\circ$ to the vertical. The wave that emerges from the first filter then falls normally on a second polarising filter. The transmission axis of this filter makes an angle of $90^\circ$ to the vertical. What is the intensity of the wave after it has passed through the second filter?

Oct/Nov 2023

Radio waves are able to be polarised, whereas sound waves are not able to be polarised. Which statement explains the reason for this?

Oct/Nov 2024

A beam of vertically polarised light with amplitude $A$ strikes a polarising filter at normal incidence. The filter’s transmission axis makes an angle of $50^{\circ}$ with the vertical. What is the amplitude of the light in the beam after it has passed through the filter?

Oct/Nov 2024