Answer to Question #122082 in Physics for Mio

Question

What do you need to do to demonstrate that the reflected light from a table top is polarized? How do you find out the direction of polarization?

Answer 1

We need a polrizer filter. Better if it is a glass screen from something like old calculator. When you look at the light spot, depending on the rotation of the polarizer, you may or may not see the light. If the brightness changes as you rotate it, the light is polarized. For instance, light reflected from mirrors and metals is not polarized.

It is easy to remember how to find the direction of polarization: the light is polarized along the plane where it was reflected.