Small Polaroid Sheets

PIRA 6H10.12

The small Polaroid sheets shown at left can be passed out to your class for a hands-on demonstration of Malus' Law.  Have students look through a pair of the Polaroids at lights in the classroom, while rotating them relative to each other.  Have students orient the polarization directions of two pieces 90 degrees to each other to block all transmitted light, and have another student insert a third Polaroid sheet between them.  See if your students can explain the return of the transmitted light.

The partial polarization of reflected light can be demonstrated by having students look at the reflection of the classroom lights off of desk surfaces through a piece of Polaroid sheet.