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Brewster's Law

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Estimated time: 2 minutes
CBSE: Class 12

Law: Brewster's Law

Statement:

When unpolarised light is incident at polarising angle iB on an interface separating air from a medium of refractive index μ, then the reflected light is plane polarised (perpendicular to the plane of incidence), provided:

μ = tan ⁡iB

Additional condition at polarising angle:

iB + r = \[\frac {π}{2}\]

i.e., the reflected plane polarised light is at right angles to the refracted light.

OR

Statement:

  • When the angle of incidence equals the polarising angle (θB), the reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other.
  • "The refractive index of a medium is equal to the tangent of the polarising angle θB."
μ = tan⁡ θp
From Brewster's law: \[\mu=\frac{\sin\theta_p}{\sin r}=\frac{\sin\theta_p}{\sin(90°-\theta_p)}=\frac{\sin\theta_p}{\cos\theta_p}=\tan\theta_p\]

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Shaalaa.com | Wave Optics part 32 (Brewster angle)

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Wave Optics part 32 (Brewster angle) [00:03:10]
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