Cheap fun with polarized light

Chronos

Looking for ways to liven up your next quantum physics party? Shine a light through a polarized lens. Align and rotate a 2nd lens until the light intensity is reduced to 50%. Align and rotate a 3rd lens until the light intensity is reduced to 25%. Next ask your guests what will happen to the light intensity if you remove the 2nd lens. Have accomplice standing by with camcorder to record audience reaction when you remove the 2nd lens.

Edgardo

Nice experiment. Where do you get such polarizer lenses (camera filters?) ?
A while ago I opened some cheap calculators and took the polarizers from the LCD.
Haven't tried your experiment though. Maybe I will show it to my brother and sister
and (hopefully) impress them


-Edgardo

ppnl2

Polarized sunglasses will probably do. If people think of them as just dark filers it will probably add to the effect.

DrChinese

I bought 2 pairs of polarized clip-ons years ago for this exact experiment. Worked like a charm, and is a simple way to show the wave nature of light. A photo more or less demonstrates the particle nature of light, so that makes it easy to show the duality.

Chronos

http://www.anchoroptical.com/Products/Display.cfm?catid=267