Question

Two Nicols is oriented with their principal planes making an angle of ${60}^0$. The percentage of incidents unpolarized light which passes through the system are

• A. $50\%$
• B. $100\%$
• C. $12.5\%$
• D. $37.5\%$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $12.5\%$

When the unpolarized light falls on the first Nicol, the intensity of the light halves and becomes polarized.

Thus $I_1=\frac{I_0}{2}$

When this polarized light falls on the next Nicol prism at an angle $\theta$, the intensity of light becomes,

$I_2=I_{1}co{s}^2\theta =I_{1}co{s}^2{60}^{\circ }$

$=\frac{I_1}{4}=\frac{I_0}{8}=12.5$%$\times I_0$