Conceptual question on polarization

[Yashbhatt]

Homework Statement

You are walking down a long hallway that has many light fixtures in the ceiling and a very shiny, newly waxed floor. In the floor, you see reflections of every light fixture. Now you put on sunglasses that are polarized. Some of the reflections of the light fixtures can not longer be seen. The reflections that disappear are those:

1. Nearest to you
2. Farthest from you
3. At an intermediate distance from you
4. Both nearest & farthest

Homework Equations

$$\mu = tan(i_b)$$

The Attempt at a Solution

I think the answer should be (3) and is indeed the case. However, I am not sure about the reason. I think it should be this way because rays from only a few sources at an intermediate distance will be incident at an angle equal to ##i_B##. Is this correct?

 

[Misha]

Think about Brewster's angle.

 

[ehild]

Homework Statement

You are walking down a long hallway that has many light fixtures in the ceiling and a very shiny, newly waxed floor. In the floor, you see reflections of every light fixture. Now you put on sunglasses that are polarized. Some of the reflections of the light fixtures can not longer be seen. The reflections that disappear are those:

1. Nearest to you
2. Farthest from you
3. At an intermediate distance from you
4. Both nearest & farthest

Homework Equations

$$\mu = tan(i_b)$$

The Attempt at a Solution

I think the answer should be (3) and is indeed the case. However, I am not sure about the reason. I think it should be this way because rays from only a few sources at an intermediate distance will be incident at an angle equal to ##i_B##. Is this correct?

You are on the right tract. The intensity of rays incident the floor at the Brewster angle and reflected from it can be extinguished by polarizing sunglasses.
Which lamp is not seen, depends on the height of the ceiling, your height, and the distance of the lamp.

 

[Yashbhatt]

You are on the right tract. The intensity of rays incident the floor at the Brewster angle and reflected from it can be extinguished by polarizing sunglasses.
Which lamp is not seen, depends on the height of the ceiling, your height, and the distance of the lamp.

View attachment 115266

Okay. Thanks [emoji1]