Amplitude will change after unpolarised wave passes through a polariod

AI Thread Summary
The amplitude of an unpolarized wave will decrease when it passes through a polarizer. The extent of this reduction depends on the initial polarization state of the light. If the light is unpolarized, it will lose some amplitude upon passing through the polarizer. For precise outcomes, the polarization of the light source must be known. Understanding these principles is crucial for analyzing light behavior in various applications.
tipsyteong
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Can i know whether the amplitude will change after unpolarised wave passes through a polariod?
 
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I don't think so..try reading here...I skimmed but did not see a clear cut answer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarized_light

Under polarization effects in everyday life I found :

If two polarizers are placed atop one another at 90° angles to one another, there is minimal light transmission.

which sounds like amplitude reduction ?
 


tipsyteong said:
Can i know whether the amplitude will change after unpolarised wave passes through a polariod?

You can't know that unless you know the polarization of the light before it reaches the polaroid filter, so you either need to know the polarization of your light source, or pass it through a known polarizing filter beforehand.
 


If you know for a fact that the light is unpolarized, its amplitude will definitely decrease as it passes through a polarizer.
 
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