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Exam
NEET
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Wave Optics

NEET · Physics · Wave Optics

A beam of unpolarized light is incident on a transparent glass...

A beam of unpolarized light is incident on a transparent glass surface from air. It is observed that the reflected beam is completely linearly polarized. If the angle of refraction in the glass is 30∘30^{\circ}, what is the speed of light in the glass medium?
(Given the speed of light in vacuum c=3×108 m/sc = 3 \times 10^8 \text{ m/s})

Options

  1. A33×108 m/s3\sqrt{3} \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}
  2. B1.5×108 m/s1.5 \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}
  3. C3×108 m/s\sqrt{3} \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}
  4. D6×108 m/s6 \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}

Correct answer

C. 3×108 m/s\sqrt{3} \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}

Step-by-step solution

When the reflected beam is completely linearly polarized, the light is incident at Brewster's angle (ipi_p).

At Brewster's angle, the reflected and refracted rays are mutually perpendicular. Therefore, the angle of incidence ipi_p and the angle of refraction rr are related by:
ip+r=90∘i_p + r = 90^{\circ}

Given r=30∘r = 30^{\circ}, we have:
ip=90∘−30∘=60∘i_p = 90^{\circ} - 30^{\circ} = 60^{\circ}

According to Brewster's law, the refractive index of the medium (μ\mu) is:
μ=tan⁡(ip)=tan⁡(60∘)=3\mu = \tan(i_p) = \tan(60^{\circ}) = \sqrt{3}

The speed of light in the glass medium (vv) is given by:
v=cμ=3×1083=3×108 m/sv = \dfrac{c}{\mu} = \dfrac{3 \times 10^8}{\sqrt{3}} = \sqrt{3} \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}

Answer: 3×108 m/s\sqrt{3} \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}
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