Common examples:- Sound, slinky springs seismic p waves Longitudinal Waves Direction of travel VIBRATION The direction of vibration of the particles is parallel to the direction in which the wave travels. Common examples:- Sound, slinky springs seismic p waves Longitudinal waves cannot be polarised © John Parkinson
Common examples:- Water, electromagnetic, ropes, seismic s waves Transverse Direction of travel vibration The direction of vibration of the particles is perpendicular to the direction in which the wave travels. Common examples:- Water, electromagnetic, ropes, seismic s waves You can prove that you have a transverse wave if you can polarise the wave (especially important with light (electromagnetic) as you cannot “see” the wave!!) © John Parkinson
Electric vector E © John Parkinson Magnetic vector B
Electric vector E © John Parkinson Magnetic vector B
P O L A R I S T N © John Parkinson
P O L A R I S T N (polariser) (analyser) © John Parkinson
P O L A R I S T N (polariser) (analyser) Resolved component of electric vector is un-polarised (analyser) © John Parkinson
is vertically plane polarised (polariser) (analyser) Electric vector is un-polarised Electric vector is vertically plane polarised © John Parkinson
P O L A R I S T N (polariser) (analyser) © John Parkinson Transverse waves are plane polarised if the vibrations occur in one plane only.
Uses of polarisation © John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
Using polarisation to measure concentration laser polariser Analyser Rotated to allow minimum transmission © John Parkinson
Using polarisation to measure concentration Sugar solution laser analyser polariser Some liquids are ‘optically active’ and rotate the electric vector. The liquid’s concentration is proportional to the electric vector rotation. © John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson
© John Parkinson