Light waves vibrating in one plane only as opposed to the multi-directional vibrations of normal rays. Natural effect produced by some reflecting surfaces, such as glass, water, polished wood, etc., but can also be simulated by placing a special screen in front of the light source. The transmission of polarized light is restrained by using a screen at an angle to the plane of polarization.
A technique used in light microscopy. A beam of polarized light is passed through thin slices of preserved tissue. The light is diffracted by some parts of the plant tissue and not others. Starch grains diffract the light in a very characteristic manner producing an image of the Maltese Cross. This image is diagnostic of the presence of starch grains.
This is the natural effect of light waves vibrating in one plane as opposed to multi-directional vibrations of normal rays. Produced by reflecting surfaces eg. water/glass/polished wood etc, however it can also be artificially replicated with the placement of a special screen in front of a light source.
If the light has a dominant direction of the E vector, we say the light is polarized. Natural light is not polarized, while laser beam is polarized. Polarization can be created and adjusted by polarizer.
This commonly used term refers to light waves whose electric vectors vibrate in a plane-parallel orientation at any point along the axis of propagation. Polarized light can be linearly polarized where vibrations at all locations are plane parallel, or it can be elliptically or circularly polarized with vibration axes that vary depending on location along the axis of propagation. Polarized light is not necessarily monochromatic (single wavelength) or coherent.
Since light is a type of electromagnetic wave, it can be thought of as uniformly vibrating in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation. This type of light is called natural light (or natural polarized light). If the direction of vibration of natural light becomes polarized for some reason, that light is called polarized light. When natural light is reflected from the surface of glass or water, for example, the reflected light vibrates in one direction only and is completely polarized. Also, on a sunny day the light from the area of the sky at a 90ยบ angle from the sun becomes polarized due to the effect of air molecules and particles in the atmosphere. The half-mirrors used in autofocus SLR cameras also cause light polarization.
The wave theory of light pictures light as electromagnetic vibrations in space, with electric and magnetic vectors vibrating perpendicularly to each other. Normally in a beam of light the orientations of the electric and magnetic vectors are random. But if the electric (or magnetic) vectors all vibrate parallel to a common plane, the light in the beam is said to be plane polarized.
Light which has had the vibrations of the electric or magnetic field vector typically restricted to a single direction in a plane perpendicular to its direction of travel. It is created by a type of filter which absorbs one of the two perpendicular light rays. Crossing at 90 degrees, polarizers theoretically blocks all light transmission.
light waves that are oriented in particular direction. For example, light reflected off of water has waves vibrating horizontally. Some animals, such as bees, can detect which way light is polarized and use that information. People cannot, unless they use special equipment.
Light with a condition in which the direction of vibration of light wave is uniform.
Light which vibrates in one plane or direction only.
Light which has all component waves in the same direction of displacement. Natural light is made up of waves having a variety of displacements. Photoelectric sensors with polarizing filters emit and detect only light waves of a specific polarization, while rejecting unwanted light of other polarization. Also, various materials "bend" light waves (alter polarization) by known amounts. This may be used to advantage to detect certain materials while ignoring others.
rays of light that have been restricted to vibrate in one plane only.