To determine Brewster's angle for air-glass

interface using a prism

Theory
In the case of non-metallic surfaces, when the angle of incidence is such that
the angle between the reected and transmitted rays is 90◦ , the reected ray
is completely plane polarized with its electric vector being perpendicular to
the plane of incidence. The particular angle of incidence for which this occurs
is called the Brewster's angle or, the polarizing angle, and it depends on the
refractive index (μ) of the reecting medium. At angles of incidence other than
Brewster's angle, the reected light is partially polarized.

Method
1. Observe the direct rays through the telescope and note the circular scale
and vernier readings.
2. Turn the telescope about an angle 60◦ .
3. Place the prism on the prism table so that a refracting surface passes along
one central line.
4. Turn the prism table so that light reected from the refracting surface
enters the telescope.
5. Fit a polaroid on the telescope objective and observe the reected light.
6. Rotate the polaroid to nd the minimum transmission (i.e., the dimmest
image of the slit).
7. Rotate the prism table and repeat the operation 6 until one nds the
angle at which the slit becomes invisible (i.e., the light is extinguished
completely) as the polaroid is rotated.
8. Measure the angle θ of the telescope for this position. Then the Brewster's
angle or the polarising angle will be θP = (180◦ −θ)/2.

1
 9. Find the refractive index using the relation µ = tan θP . Also verify that
at this position, the sum of the angle of incidence θP and the angle of
refraction (can be obtained from Snell's law) is ≈ 90◦ . (Note: usually
an EDF (extra dense int) prism is used in a physics laboratory. The
refractive index of such a prism is close to 1.65. Thus, θP will be about
58.8◦ .)

Acknowledgement
Dr. Nababrata Ghoshal Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Ramsaday
College, Howrah, 711401