Malus Law

Pick an option to see whether it holds. If one of them stops you, the theory page is two steps back.

1. 01

   Malus Law relates the intensity of transmitted light to:

   • a) The wavelength of light
   • b) The angle between the polarizer and analyzer axes
   • c) The distance between polarizer and analyzer
   • d) The intensity of the light source only
2. 02

   The mathematical expression for Malus Law is:

   • a) I = I₀ sin²θ
   • b) I = I₀ cos θ
   • c) I = I₀ cos²θ
   • d) I = I₀ θ²
3. 03

   In the setup, I₀ represents:

   • a) Intensity of unpolarized light before the polarizer
   • b) Intensity of polarized light incident on the analyzer
   • c) Intensity of light after the analyzer
   • d) Intensity of ambient light
4. 04

   When the analyzer's transmission axis is perpendicular to the polarizer's axis (θ = 90°), the transmitted intensity is:

   • a) Maximum
   • b) Half of I₀
   • c) Zero
   • d) Equal to I₀
5. 05

   At θ = 45°, the transmitted intensity I is:

   • a) I₀
   • b) I₀/2
   • c) I₀/4
   • d) Zero
6. 06

   The transmitted electric field amplitude through the analyzer is given by:

   • a) E = E₀ sin θ
   • b) E = E₀ cos θ
   • c) E = E₀ tan θ
   • d) E = E₀
7. 07

   In the experiment, which optical component’s angle is varied while the other stays fixed?

   • a) The light source
   • b) The polarizer
   • c) The analyzer
   • d) The photodetector
8. 08

   To verify Malus Law from experimental data, a graph is plotted between:

   • a) I and θ
   • b) I and sin θ
   • c) I and cos²θ
   • d) I and cos θ
9. 09

   According to Malus Law, the graph of I versus cos²θ should be:

   • a) A parabola
   • b) A straight line passing through the origin
   • c) A sine curve
   • d) A horizontal line
10. 10

    Why does intensity depend on cos²θ and not simply cos θ?

    • a) Because intensity is proportional to amplitude
    • b) Because intensity is proportional to the square of amplitude
    • c) Because angle is squared in optics
    • d) Because of energy loss in the analyzer