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Question
How does an unpolarized light incident on a polaroid get polarized? Describe briefly, with the help of a necessary diagram, the polarization of light by reflection from a transparent medium.
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Solution
Polaroid is made up of a special material which blocks one of the two planes of vibration of an electromagnetic wave. Because of its chemical composition it allows only those vibrations of the electromagnetic wave which are parallel to its crystallographic axis.

An ordinary beam of light on reflection from a transparent medium becomes partially polarised. The degree of polarisation increases as the angle of incidence is increased. At a particular value of angle of incidence, the reflected beam becomes completely polarised. This angle of incidence is called the polarising angle (p).
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Justify your answer in each case.
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