Wave Optics - Result Question 24

26. Unpolarised light is incident from air on a plane surface of a material of refractive index ’ $\mu$ ‘. At a particular angle of incidence ’ $i$ ‘, it is found that the reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other. Which of the following options is correct for this situation?

[2018]

(a) Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector parallel to the plane of incidence

(b) Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence

(c) $i=\tan ^{-1}(\frac{1}{\mu})$

(d) $i=\sin ^{-1}(\frac{1}{\mu})$

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Answer:

Correct Answer: 26. (b)

Solution:

  1. (b) When reflected light rays and refracted rays are perpendicular, reflected light is polarised with electric field vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence.

Also, $\tan i=\mu(i=$ Brewester angle $)$