Light and Optics

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Temperature101

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When unpolarized light reflects off a specular (mirrored) surface at a glancing angle with respect to the surface, the light can partially polarize parallel to the surface. That is, the parallel polarized light is more intense than the perpendicular polarized light. If this surface is lying on a flat ground, in what orientation should a polarizing anti-glare filter be with respect to the ground, in order to minimize the total light intensity through the filter? The polarizer's polarization axis should be oriented at:

A. 0 degree
B. 45
C. 90
D. 180

First of all, I dont even understand of this verbiage that they are talking about in this problem...Can someone explain it? This is another subject in physics that is killing me. I hate physics....

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When unpolarized light reflects off a specular (mirrored) surface at a glancing angle with respect to the surface, the light can partially polarize parallel to the surface. That is, the parallel polarized light is more intense than the perpendicular polarized light. If this surface is lying on a flat ground, in what orientation should a polarizing anti-glare filter be with respect to the ground, in order to minimize the total light intensity through the filter? The polarizer's polarization axis should be oriented at:

A. 0 degree
B. 45
C. 90
D. 180

First of all, I dont even understand of this verbiage that they are talking about in this problem...Can someone explain it? This is another subject in physics that is killing me. I hate physics....

There's another thread about this same question and there are quite a few good explanations in there. Basically the question is asking you which way to orient the polarizer to block the most light. Polarizers allow only parallel light through, and therefore block all perpendicularly oriented light. So since the light intensity is greatest parallel to the surface of the ground, you want a polarizer that is perpendicular to the ground (and therefore perpendicular to the most intense light). What angle is perpendicular to the ground? 90. Answer C.
 
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