Interactive practical

Intensity variation with polarisation

Measure background light, find the analyser's maximum, then read a light meter every 15° and test Malus' law with a graph of corrected intensity against cos²θ.

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Practice: Intensity variation with polarisation

WJEC 1420QS — this practical matches your selected course; the questions check the method, data handling and practical skills.

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2 of 2 available questions match the selected filters. This session contains 2 questions.

Question 1 · 1 mark · Foundation · Practical · Diagnostic

Unpolarised light passes through a polariser and then an analyser at 60° to it. What fraction of the light leaving the polariser is transmitted?

Question 2 · 3 marks · Standard · Practical · Practical method

Intensity variation with polarisation

Practice: Intensity variation with polarisation

Unpolarised light passes through a polariser and then an analyser at 60° to it. What fraction of the light leaving the polariser is transmitted?

Explain why polarisation is evidence that light is a transverse wave.