POLARIZED LIGHT Meaning and
Definition
-
Polarized light refers to a type of light in which the vibrations of its electromagnetic waves occur in a particular orientation or direction. The term "polarized" is derived from the concept of polarization, which describes the process of filtering or restricting the oscillations of light waves to occur in a single plane.
Light waves are typically composed of electric and magnetic fields that oscillate in various directions perpendicular to the direction of propagation. When these waves are unpolarized, the vibrations occur randomly in all possible planes. However, polarized light consists of waves that vibrate in a specific plane, generally achieved by filtering or selectively reflecting the light.
The process of polarization can occur naturally, such as when light waves interact with reflective surfaces, causing the waves to align in a specific plane. Alternatively, polarized light can also be artificially created through various methods, including the use of polaroid filters or specialized materials that selectively absorb or transmit light waves based on their orientation.
Polarized light has several remarkable properties and finds numerous applications in various fields. It is widely used in industries like photography, optics, and electronics. For instance, polarized sunglasses utilize specific filters to block horizontally polarized light, which enables them to reduce glare caused by reflections from flat surfaces like water or glass. Polarized light is also utilized in scientific research, where its unique properties are exploited in experiments and technologies such as polarimeters and liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Overall, the study and utilization of polarized light have significantly contributed to advancements and innovations in various scientific, technological, and everyday applications.
-
L. In which, as a result of reflection or transmission through certain media, the vibrations are all in one plane, transverse to the ray, instead of in all planes.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for POLARIZED LIGHT
- polarized ligit
- polarized ligh4
- polarized lighd
- polarized lighp
- polarized lighv
- polarized lighu
- po larized light
- pol arized light
- pola rized light
- polar ized light
- polari zed light
- polariz ed light
- polarize d light
- polarized l ight
- polarized li ght
- polarized lig ht
- polarized ligh t
Etymology of POLARIZED LIGHT
The word "polarized" originates from the verb "polarize", which is derived from the noun "pole". The term "polarized light" refers to light waves that vibrate in a particular direction. This phenomenon was first observed and described by the French physicist Étienne-Louis Malus in the early 19th century. He named it "polarization" because the behavior of the light waves resembled the alignment of magnetic poles. Over time, the term "polarized light" became widely used to describe this specific property of light waves.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
