Unpolarized light of intensity I₀ is incident on an arrangement of three polaroids. The first and third polaroids are placed such that their transmission axes are perpendicular to each other. The second polaroid is placed between them. If the intensity of the light transmitted through the third polaroid is 3 32 I₀ , what is the angle between the transmission axes of the first and second polaroids?

Step-by-step solution

Let the intensity of the incident unpolarized light be I₀ . The intensity of light transmitted through the first polaroid is: I₁ = I₀ 2 Let be the angle between the transmission axes of the first and second polaroids. The intensity of light transmitted through the second polaroid is given by Malus's law: I₂ = I₁ ^2 = I₀ 2 ^2 Since the first and third polaroids are crossed, the angle between the transmission axes of the second and third polaroids is (90^ - ) . The intensity of light transmitted through the third pol