Question

Unpolarised light is incident from air on a plane surface of a material of refractive index ${}^{\prime }{\mu }^{\prime }$. At a particular angle of incidence ${}^{\prime }{i}^{\prime }$, it is found that the reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other. Which of the following options is correct for this situation?

• A. $i={\sin }^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{\mu }\right)$
• B. Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector parallel to the plane of incidence
• C. Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence
• D. $i=ta{n}^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{\mu }\right)$

Answer 1

The correct option is C Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence

The Reflected ray of light, when the angle of incidence is Brewster angle, would comprise of only the other component of light wave which is oscillating in a direction perpendicular to vibration of electric field vectors