Class 12 Physics simulations · Wave Optics

Brewster’s angle

Reflect unpolarised light from glass. At Brewster’s angle the reflected beam is completely polarised.

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What to notice

At θ_B the reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular, and the p-component is not reflected at all.

Key relation

tan θ_B = n₂ / n₁ ; θ_B + θ_r = 90°

Try this

Find the angle where R_p falls to zero for water (n = 1.33).

What you can change

• Refractive index n₂: 1.3 to 2.4
• Angle of incidence: 0 to 89 °

More in Wave Optics

• Single slit diffraction
• Diffraction grating orders
• Double slit interference
• Fringe width in Young’s experiment
• Polarisation and Malus’s law
• Resolving two stars (Rayleigh criterion)
• Thin-film interference

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