PHYSICS

ACTIVITY 4
TO OBSERVE POLARISATION OF
LIGHT USING TWO POLAROIDS.

Aim

To observe polarization of light using

two Polaroids.

Apparatus required
Two Polaroid pieces, a source of light

Theory
The phenomenon due to which the
vibrations of light are restricted in
particular plane is called the polarization
of light and such a light is called plane
polarised light.
When ordinary light, i.e., unpolarised
light passes through Polaroid piece (P1),
out of all the vibrations symmetrical
about the direction of propagation only
those pass through it which are parallel
to the axis of polarisation. Therefore on
coming out the Polaroid piece, the
vibrations no longer remain symmetrical
about the direction of propagation but
confined to a single plane.

If another Polaroid (P2) piece is placed

between the first Polaroid and the eye in
such a way that the axis of polarisation
of both the polaroids are parallel then
the intensity of emergent light is
maximum on the other hand if the
second Polaroid is rotated on its own
plane, then the intensity of polarised
light goes on decreasing. When the axes
of polarisation of both Polaroid pieces
become perpendicular to each other,
the intensity of emergent light is
minimum.

Procedure

1. Keep a Polaroid piece (P1) in front of

a glowing electric bulb and look at
the light coming through it from the
glowing bulb. You will notice that the
intensity of the bulb is decreased.
2. Now rotate the Polaroid piece in its
own plane, but there will be no
change in the intensity of light
observed.

3. Keep another Polaroid piece

between the first Polaroid and the
eye and look at the light coming
from the glowing bulb through the
combination of P1 and P2. On rotating
the Polaroid piece P2 in its own plane
with respect to the first Polaroid, it
may be observed that
(a) When the axes of both polaroid
pieces are parallel the intensity
of emergent light is maximum.
(b) When the axes of polarisation of
both the Polaroid pieces are
perpendicular then the intensity
of emergent light is minimum.

Conclusion

From the activity it is concluded that

the intensity of emerging light
depends upon the angle of
inclination of the axes of the two
Polaroid pieces.

PHYSICS
ACTIVITY-5

TO OBSERVE DIFFRATION OF LIGHT

DUE TO A THIN SLIT.

Aim
To observe diffraction of light due to a
thin slit.

Materials required

Two glass slides, ordinary razor blades, a

screen, black paper, a source of light,
i.e., pencil laser, etc.

Theory
The phenomenon of blending of light
round the corners and spreading into
the regions of geometrical shadows is
called diffraction.
In fact, all the types of waves shows
diffraction effect. The diffraction of radio
waves and sound waves is readily
observed in practice. The light waves
are diffracted only when the size of
obstacle is equivalent to the wavelength
of the light.
When beam of monochromatic light
incident on narrow single slit and
impinges on the screen produces the
single slit diffraction pattern which
consists of a central bright band having
dark and light bands of decreasing

intensity on either side. The central

bright band is wider than narrow slit.
The position of dark bands given by the
equation
d sinn = n , where n = 1, 2, 3....... An
integer
Note that n is not equal to 0 because for
n = 0, there is central bright bands and
the position of bright bands is given by
the equation,
d sinn = (2n+1)/2, where n = 1, 2,
3,..... an integer

Procedure

1. Take an ordinary razor blade and

break it into two pieces horizontally.
2. Place these two pieces extremely
close to each other with their sharp
edges facing each other in such a
way that there must be a very small
gap order of fraction of a millimetre
between them on of the glass slides.

3. Now place another glass slide and a

black paper over it and paste this
arrangement by using a black colour
electric tape without leaving any
gap between glass slides and black
paper.
4. Make a small slit in the black paper
in between the short edges of both
the blade pieces.
5. Place the narrow slit at a distance
about 1 metre from the screen and
also keep a source of light in front of
slit at the distance of about 40cm.
6. Observe the screen at which light is
falling.
7. It will be observed that a central
bright band having on either sides
narrower alternately dark and bright
bands of decreasing intensity.

Precautions

1. There must be no air gap between

the glass slides and black paper.
2. The slit should be formed as narrow
as possible.

3. The monochromatic light must be

used to obtain single slit of
diffraction pattern.

Conclusion

The formation of single slit diffraction

pattern indicates that when light passes
through a narrow slit, it bends at the
edges of the slit.