Question

What is polarization and interference of light? Please explain me in detail.

Answer 1

Polarisation of light

As we know that the light is an electromagnetic wave with electric and magnetic field vectors varying sinusoidally, perpendicular to each other and also perpendicular to the direction of propagation of wave of light.

i.e., a light wave traveling forward can vibrate up and down in the vertical plane, from side to side in the horizontal plane, or in an intermediate direction. Ordinarily a ray of light consists of a mixture of waves vibrating in all the directions perpendicular to its line of propagation. But if for some reason the vibration remains constant in direction, the light is said to be polarized. This phenomenon is called polarisation of light.

Interference of light

Whenever two waves are propagated in a medium each one of them imparts its own displacement to the particles of the medium idependent of other. If they have to cross each other at a point, the particles at that point aquires a displacement which is equal to the resultant of the individual displacements. due to the superposition of waves the resultant displacement is obtained. Beyond this point eac waveseparates and and proceeds in its own direction. The waves are said to interfere at that point.