College Physics (4th Edition)

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 0073512141
ISBN 13: 978-0-07351-214-3

Chapter 22 - Problems - Page 865: 46

Answer

The intensity of the incident light is $65.7~W/m^2$

Work Step by Step

Let $I_0$ be the intensity of the incident light. Since the light is unpolarized initially, the intensity of the light after passing through the first polarizer is $\frac{I_0}{2}$ We can use the law of Malus to determine the intensity of the light after passing through the second polarizer. $I_2 = \frac{I_0}{2}~cos^2(30.0^{\circ}) = \frac{3~I_0}{8}$ We can determine the intensity of the light after passing through the third polarizer. $I_3 = \frac{3~I_0}{8}~cos^2(45.0^{\circ}-30.0^{\circ}) = 0.350~I_0$ We can find the intensity of the incident light: $0.350~I_0 = 23.0~W/m^2$ $I_0 = \frac{23.0~W/m^2}{0.350}$ $I_0 = 65.7~W/m^2$ The intensity of the incident light is $65.7~W/m^2$
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