Grade 11 · Science · Physics

11th grade Polarization of light worksheet

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Polarization of light

Grade 11 Science Worksheet

NameDate

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

Unpolarized light of 200 W/m² passes two filters whose slots are 30° apart. How intense is the light after both, Ari?
Unpolarized light of 120 W/m² passes two filters whose slots are 60° apart. How intense is the light after both, Bo?
Unpolarized light of 80 W/m² passes two filters whose slots are 45° apart. How intense is the light after both, Esme?
4.
Using the table, why does 30° give 60 W/m², Kira?
- 80 × cos 30° = 60
- 80 − 30 + 10 = 60
- 80 × cos² 30° = 60
5.
Using the table, why does 60° give 20 W/m², Luz?
Use the picture in question 4.
- 80 ÷ 4 since 60 is 4 × 15
- 80 × cos² 60° = 20
- 80 × cos 60° = 20
6.
Two filters are crossed at 90°. How much light gets through both, Milo?
- Half
- No light
- A quarter
7.
A third filter at 45° is slipped between two crossed filters. What happens, Noah?
- More light than before any filters
- Some light gets through
- Still no light
8.
Two filters have their slots lined up. What fraction of the light from the first passes the second, Pia?
- None of it
- All of it
- Half of it
9.
Light reflected off a lake is mostly polarized in which direction, Ren?
- Horizontally
- Vertically
- In many directions at once
10.
Which way should the slots in polarized sunglasses run to block glare off water, Tala?
- Up and down
- At random
- Side to side

Polarization of light. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

I can use Malus's law, I = I₀ cos² θ, for polarized light through a filter.
I can find the light through two filters from unpolarized light: half after the first, then cos² θ.
I can work backwards to the angle, θ = cos⁻¹ √(I ÷ I₀), and handle three filters step by step.
I can explain why only transverse waves (light, not sound) can be polarized, and how sunglasses, 3-D glasses and LCD screens use it.

Standard: none (TX)

polarized: Light vibrating in one direction only

unpolarized: Light vibrating in many directions, like sunlight or a bulb's

filter (polarizer): A sheet that passes only light vibrating along its slots

crossed: Two filters with slots at 90° to each other

transverse: A wave vibrating across its direction of travel

Your child used cos θ, not cos² θ. Malus's law squares the cosine: I = I₀ cos² θ.

Your child skipped the first halving. A filter passes half of unpolarized light before Malus's law applies.

Your child left out the square root. From I = I₀ cos² θ, cos θ = √(I ÷ I₀).

What is the most common mistake with polarization of light?

Your child used cos θ, not cos² θ. Malus's law squares the cosine: I = I₀ cos² θ.

Are these 11th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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