How Can I Accurately Measure Light Intensity After Polarization?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on measuring light intensity after polarization to confirm Malus' Law using a bulb and two polarizing lenses. The user seeks guidance on accurately measuring light intensity post-polarization. A lecturer recommends using an irradiance detector that measures in LUX, clarifying that conversion to W/m² is unnecessary for the experiment. The key focus is on the ratio of intensities before and after the polarizer to validate Malus' Law.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Malus' Law and its application in optics.
  • Familiarity with polarizing lenses and their function.
  • Knowledge of light intensity measurement using irradiance detectors.
  • Basic principles of graphing and interpreting cosine curves.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research how to use an irradiance detector for measuring light intensity.
  • Explore the mathematical formulation of Malus' Law in detail.
  • Learn about the characteristics and calibration of LUX meters.
  • Investigate methods for graphing and analyzing cosine functions in experimental data.
USEFUL FOR

Students conducting experiments in optics, physics educators, and researchers interested in light polarization and intensity measurement techniques.

ellion71
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Part of my independent investigation requires me to carry out an experiment, which when I graph results, would confirm Malus' Law.

I plan on using a bulb as my ambient source and two polarizing lenses. I will then measure the intensity of the light after polarization. Hopefully, if i graph the angle of the analyzing polarizer against intensity I will get a Cosine curve.

However, I am not quite sure on how to measure the intensity of the light after polarization.

Thanks in Advance
Any help/advice would be much appreciated.


P.S
My lecturer has suggested using a irradiance detector which measures in LUX but I am not sure how to convert a value in LUX to a value in W/m^2.
 
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You don't need to convert. The ratio of the intensity after the polarizer to the ratio of the intensity before the polarizer is all you need to know in order to confirm Malus' Law.
 
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