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NEET
Exam
NEET
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Wave Optics

NEET · Physics · Wave Optics

An unpolarised light beam of intensity I_0 is incident on a fixed...

An unpolarised light beam of intensity I0I_0 is incident on a fixed polariser P1P_1. The transmitted light then passes through an analyser P2P_2 which can be rotated. Consider the following statements:
(A) The intensity of light transmitted through P1P_1 is I02\dfrac{I_0}{2} and is independent of the orientation of P1P_1.
(B) The final intensity of light transmitted through P2P_2 is maximum when the angle between the transmission axes of P1P_1 and P2P_2 is 90∘90^{\circ}.
(C) The variation of the final transmitted intensity with the angle θ\theta between the transmission axes follows a cosine-squared curve.
(D) If the angle between the transmission axes of P1P_1 and P2P_2 is 60∘60^{\circ}, the final transmitted intensity is I08\dfrac{I_0}{8}.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Options

  1. A1
  2. B2
  3. C4
  4. D3

Correct answer

D. 3

Step-by-step solution

Statement (A) is correct: When unpolarised light passes through a polariser, the transmitted intensity is exactly half of the incident intensity, regardless of the polariser's orientation.

Statement (B) is incorrect: According to Malus's law, I=Imaxcos⁡2θI = I_{\text{max}} \cos^2\theta. When the angle θ=90∘\theta = 90^{\circ}, cos⁡90∘=0\cos 90^{\circ} = 0, so the intensity is minimum (zero), not maximum.

Statement (C) is correct: The intensity follows I=Imaxcos⁡2θI = I_{\text{max}} \cos^2\theta, which is a cosine-squared curve.

Statement (D) is correct: The intensity after P1P_1 is I1=I02I_1 = \dfrac{I_0}{2}. After P2P_2, the intensity is I2=I1cos⁡260∘=(I02)(12)2=I08I_2 = I_1 \cos^2 60^{\circ} = \left(\dfrac{I_0}{2}\right) \left(\dfrac{1}{2}\right)^2 = \dfrac{I_0}{8}.

Therefore, exactly 3 statements are correct.

Answer: 3
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