Quantrex Quantrex AcademyJEE · NEET · NDA PYQs with solutions Open app
NEET
Exam
NEET
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Wave Optics

NEET · Physics · Wave Optics

A beam of unpolarized light travels from a denser medium of...

A beam of unpolarized light travels from a denser medium of refractive index μ1\mu_1 to a rarer medium of refractive index μ2\mu_2. If ipi_p is the polarizing angle (Brewster's angle) for this interface, then which of the following is the correct range for ipi_p?

Options

  1. A0∘<ip<45∘0^\circ < i_p < 45^\circ
  2. B45∘<ip<90∘45^\circ < i_p < 90^\circ
  3. Cip≥90∘i_p \ge 90^\circ
  4. DThe polarizing angle does not exist for light traveling from a denser to a rarer medium

Correct answer

A. 0∘<ip<45∘0^\circ < i_p < 45^\circ

Step-by-step solution

According to Brewster's law, when light travels from a medium of refractive index μ1\mu_1 to a medium of refractive index μ2\mu_2, the polarizing angle ipi_p is given by tan⁡(ip)=μ2μ1\tan(i_p) = \dfrac{\mu_2}{\mu_1}.

Since the light is traveling from a denser medium to a rarer medium, we have μ1>μ2\mu_1 > \mu_2.

This implies that the relative refractive index μ2μ1<1\dfrac{\mu_2}{\mu_1} < 1.

Therefore, tan⁡(ip)<1\tan(i_p) < 1.

Since ipi_p must be a positive angle, and tan⁡(45∘)=1\tan(45^\circ) = 1, the polarizing angle must lie in the range 0∘<ip<45∘0^\circ < i_p < 45^\circ.

Answer: 0∘<ip<45∘0^\circ < i_p < 45^\circ
Practice Wave Optics on Quantrex Academy →

More from Wave Optics

An unpolarized light beam of intensity I_0 passes through a series of n Polaroids P_1… MHT CET Medical 2026In a single-slit Fraunhofer diffraction experiment, the first secondary minimum is… MHT CET Medical 2026In the Young's double slit experiment, the intensity of light at a point on the screen is… MHT CET Medical 2026Two images are considered "just resolved" according to Rayleigh's criterion when MHT CET Medical 2026In Young's double slit experiment, the slits are 2\ mm apart and are illuminated by… MHT CET Medical 2026In Young's double slit, 18 fringes are observed to be formed in a certain segment of the… MHT CET Medical 2026When the un-polarised light beam is incident from air to glass (n = 1.5) at the… MHT CET Medical 2026In Young's double-slit experiment, the intensity at a point is ((1)/(4)) of the maximum… MHT CET Medical 2026 Full Wave Optics list All NEET PYQs