WAVE OPTICS

LECT-5
Today’s Goal

Resolving Power

Polarisation
Resolving Power
Resolving power of an optical instrument is the power
or ability of the instrument to produce distinctly
separate images of two close objects i.e; it is ability of
instrument to resolve or to see as separate images of
two close objects.
Resolving Limit
The minimum distance between two objects that can
be viewed distinctly is called Resolving Limit.

Smaller the Resolving Limit, Greater the Resolving

Power
For microscope:
For telescope:
Q) Assuming human pupil to have a radius of 0.25 cm and a
comfortable viewing distance of 25 cm, the minimum
separation between two objects that human eye can resolve
at 500 nm wavelength is:

a) 100 μm
b) 300 μm
c) 50 μm
d) 25 μm
Polarisation
According to Huygen’s Theory
1) Light is a Mechanical Wave(needs a medium to
travel →ether)
2) Light is a Longitudinal Wave.
Later on, it was discovered that
1. Light is an ElectroMagnetic Wave[Non-Mechanical
Wave] (Do not need a medium)
2. Light is a transverse wave.
The vibrations of Electric &
Magnetic Field are perpendicular
to direction of propagation of wave
in light waves.

𝑬 ⏊𝑩 ⏊ 𝑽 ⇒ 𝑴𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓
Unpolarised Light & Polarised Light
Unpolarised Light: In ordinary light, there is no preferred
direction for 𝑬 & 𝑩 in wave. The waves come in with
𝑬 & 𝑩 in random ⏊ directions.

➢ So an Unpolarised light is one in which vibrations of

Electric Field vectors occurs symmetrically in all
possible planes, perpendicular to the direction of
propagation of wave.
Representation of Unpolarised
Light
Polaroid:
1) Polaroids are long chain of molecules aligned in a
particular direction.

2) Polaroid’s are in the form of sheets.

3) Every Polaroid has pass axis.

Polarised Light
A polarised light is one which contains vibrations of
Electric Field vector only in one plane perpendicular to
direction of wave propagation.
Q) How to distinguish between Polarised Light,Unpolarised
Light & Partially Polarised Light?
Intensity of Polarised Light when it
passes through a Polaroid
1) Angle between Pass Axis of P1 & P2 θ=0o

2) Angle between Pass Axis of P1 & P2 θ=90o

3) Angle between P1 & P2 is θ
Uses of Polaroids
1) Sunglasses to cut glare

2) Windowpanes of Airplane
3) In 3-D movies
Polarisation by Reflection
It is observed that when unpolarised light is reflected
from a surface of a transparent material (as glass) the
reflected light becomes partially plane polarised.

The degree of polarisation depends upon incident

angle
Brewster’s Law
It is observed that when reflected ray is perpendicular
to refracted ray, the reflected ray is polarised with its
electric vector perpendicular to plane of incidence
Q) If refracting index of water is 4/3.
Find polarising/Brewster’s
o
Angle for water-air
a) 37
b) 53o
c) 30o
d) 60o
Q) If critical Angle of glass-air is 45o.Find Brewster’s
/Polarising angle for glass-air.

-1 𝟏
a) sin ( )
𝟐
-1 𝟏
b) tan ( )
𝟐
-1 𝟏
c) sin ( )
𝟑
d) tan-1( 𝟐)