Objective Questions on Polarization
Q. NO.
QUESTION
OPTIONS
CORRECT
ANSWER
A
B
C
D
wave nature
Particle nature
transverse
wave nature
longitudinal
nature
C
1
Polarization of light establishes that light has
2
The plane in which electric field vectors of
plane polarized light vibrates is known as
Plane of
vibration
Plane of
polarization
Principal
plane
none of the
above
A
3
When light was observed through a polarizer,
the light intensity was observed to remain
constant on rotating the polarizer. The light can
be
Plane
polarized
Unpolarized
Partially
polarized
any of the
above
B
4
If the angle between the axes of polarizer and
analyzer is 30 degree, the intensity of light
transmitted by the analyzer is -------- times the
intensity intensity by the polarizer.
1/2
3/4
1/4
Zero
C
5
If light is made incident on any transparent
medium at the polarizing angle, the reflected
light is
Unpolarized
Plane
polarized
Partially
polarized
none of the
above
B
6
If light is made incident on any transparent
medium at the polarizing angle, the angle
between the reflected ray and the refracted ray
is
7
The refractive index of any transparent
material is the -------- of its polarising angle
8
When an object is seen through a double
refracating medium, if two images are not seen,
the light must be travelling -------
45 degree
90 degree
30 degree
60 degree
B
sine
cosine
tangent
secant
C
Parallel to
optic axis
perpendicular
to optic axis
Either parallel
or
perpendicular
to optic axis
Neither
parallel nor
perpendicular
to optic axis
D
An imaginary
line inside the
crystal
A real line
inside the
crystal
A direction
inside the
crystal
none of the
above
C
9
Optic axis is -----
10
The vibrations of O-ray are ---------- to
principal plane
at 45 degree
parallel
perpendicular
at any angle
C
11
The vibrations of E-ray are ---------- to
principal plane
at 45 degree
parallel
perpendicular
at any angle
B
12
According to Huygen's theory of double
refraction, every point in a double refracting
medium is a source of ------ type of wave
fronts.
one
two
three
four
B
13
If the light is incident on a transparent material
of refractive index √3 and the reflected light is
observed to be plane polarized, the angle of
incidence is ----
14
45 degree
90 degree
30 degree
60 degree
D
The shape of O-wave front is
Plane
Spherical
elliptical
cylindrical
B
15
The shape of E-wavefront is
Plane
Spherical
elliptical
cylindrical
C
16
---- waves travel with same velocity in all
direction
O
E
O and E
Neither O nor
E
A
17
---- waves travel with different velocity in all
direction
O
E
O and E
Neither O nor
E
B
18
The velocity of E waves is greater than O
waves in all direction except along axis in ---crystal
Positive
Negative
Both positive
& negative
Neither
positive nor
negative
B
19
The velocity of O waves is greater than E
waves in all direction except along axis in ---crystal
Positive
Negative
Both positive
& negative
Neither
positive nor
negative
A
Negative
Both positive
& negative
Neither
positive nor
negative
C
μo > μe
μo < μe
μo = μe
none of the
above
C
μo > μe
μo < μe
μo = μe
none of the
above
C
Wavelength of
light
All the above
D
20
The velocity of O waves and E waves is same
along optic axis in ---- crystal
Positive
21
For positive crystal along optic axis, ----
22
For negative crystal along optic axis, ----
23
The path difference introduced by a retardation
plate between O and E waves depends upon---
Thickness of
the plate
Difference in
refractive
indices of
plate for O
and E waves
24
A quarter wave plate produces path difference
of ---- between O and E waves
λ
λ/2
λ/4
3λ/4
C
25
A half wave plate produces path difference of --- between O and E waves
λ
λ/2
λ/4
3λ/4
B
26
If the light is incident on a transparent material
of refractive index √3 and the reflected light is
observed to be plane polarized, the angle of
refraction is ----
45 degree
90 degree
30 degree
60 degree
C
27
For positive crystal, the thickness of quarter
wave plate is -----
λ / 4 ( μe - μo)
λ / 4 ( μo - μe)
λ / 2 ( μe - μo)
λ / 2 ( μo - μe)
A
28
For positive crystal, the thickness of half wave
plate is -----
λ / 4 ( μe - μo)
λ / 4 ( μo - μe)
λ / 2 ( μe - μo)
λ / 2 ( μo - μe)
C
29
For negative crystal, the thickness of quarter
wave plate is -----
λ / 4 ( μe - μo)
λ / 4 ( μo - μe)
λ / 2 ( μe - μo)
λ / 2 ( μo - μe)
B
30
For negative crystal, the thickness of half wave
plate is -----
λ / 4 ( μe - μo)
λ / 4 ( μo - μe)
λ / 2 ( μe - μo)
λ / 2 ( μo - μe)
D
31
If the angle between the axes of polarizer and
analyzer is 120 degree, the intensity of light
transmitted by the polarizer is -------- times the
intensity intensity by the analyzer.
1/4
3/4
4/3
4
D
32
The property of certain crystals to absorb either
the O or the E ray to a larger extent than the
other is known as ----
Double
refraction
Birefringence
Polarization
Dichroism
D
33
The property of rotating the plane of vibration
of plane polarized light is known as ----
Double
refraction
Optical
activity
Polarization
Dichroism
B
Independent
of wavelength
Inversely
Directly
Inversely
proportional to
proportional to proportional to
square of
wavelength
wavelength
wavelength
34
The specific rotation is -----
35
The thickness of crystal in an LCD is chosen so
that it rotates the plane of vibration of plane
polarized light by ----
45 degree
90 degree
30 degree
36
When two plane polarized light waves are
followed to superimpose and the resultant
electric vector rotates in such a way that its tip
traces an ellipse, the resultant light is known as
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
37
When the resultant of two waves of equal
amplitudes vibrating at right angles to each
other and having a phase difference of /2
produces
Elliptically
polarized light
38
When the resultant of two waves of unequal
amplitudes vibrating at right angles to each
other and having a phase difference of /2
produces
D
60 degree
B
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
B
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
A
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
A
39
If plane polarized light is passed through a
quarter wave plate a phase difference of /2
(path difference of /4) is introduced between
O – and E – ray so that the resultant beam
means transmitted beam is
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
A
40
If plane polarized light is passed through a
quarter wave plate a phase difference of other
than /2 is introduced between O – and E – ray
so that the resultant light is
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
B
41
If plane polarized light is passed through a half
wave plate, the plane of vibration of plane
polarized light is rotated then emergent light
becomes
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
C
42
Elliptically polarized light after passing
through a quarter wave plate becomes
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
A
43
Huygen explained the phenomenon of double
refraction on the basis of
Secondary
wavelets
Dispersion
Scattering
Interference
A
O- ray is less
than velocity
of E – ray in
all directions
except along
the optic axis
O- ray and Eray are equal
in magnitude
in all
directions
except along
the optic axis
None of the
above
A
O- ray is less
than velocity
of E – ray in
all directions
except along
the optic axis
O- ray and Eray is equal in
magnitude in
all directions
except along
the optic axis
None of the
above
B
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in same
direction with
same velocity
the O and Ewavefronts
None of the
travel in
above
different
directions with
B
44
45
46
In positive crystal, velocity of
In negative crystal, velocity of
When optic axis is perpendicular to the crystal
surface then
O- ray is
greater than
velocity of E –
ray in all
directions
except along
the optic axis
O- ray is
greater than
velocity of E –
ray in all
directions
except along
the optic axis
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in
different
directions with
same velocity
47
48
49
50
different
velocity
When the optic axis is parallel to the crystal
surface then
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in
different
directions with
same velocity
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in same
direction with
same velocity
When the optic axis is inclined to the crystal
surface then
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in
different
directions with
same velocity
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in same
direction with
same velocity
The quarter wave plate produces
The half wave plate produces
path
difference of
/4 or phase
difference of
/2 radians
between Oand E-waves
path diff. of
/4 or phase
diff.of /2
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in
different
directions with
different
velocity
the O and Ewavefronts
travel in
different
directions with
different
velocity
None of the
above
C
None of the
above
A
path
difference of
/4 or phase
difference of 
radians
path
difference of
/2 or phase
difference of
/2 radians
None of the
above
A
path
difference of
/4 or phase
radians between difference of 
O-and E waves radians
path
difference of
/2 or phase
difference of
/2 radians
None of the
above
C
51
The thickness of quarter wave plate (for
negative crystal) is
t = /[4(o e)]
t = /[4(e o)]
t = /[2(o e)]
t = /[2(e o)]
A
52
The thickness of quarter wave plate (for
positive crystal) is
t = /[4(o e)]
t = /[4(e o)]
t = /[2(o e)]
t = /[2(e o)]
B
Elliptically
polarized light
Circularly
polarized light
Plane
polarized light
None of the
above
B
30 0
45 0
60 0
00
A
53
54
When two plane polarized light waves are
allowed to superimpose and the resultant
electric vector rotates in such a way that its tip
traces a circle, then the resultant light is known
as
Plane polarized light is incident on an analyzer.
If the intensity of emergent ray falls to three
fourth, the angle of axes of the analyzer with
respect to plane of vibration of incident
polarized beam is
55
To analyze a plane polarized light, an analyzer
is rotated. In one complete rotation of the
analyzer the following observation occurs
one complete
extinction
one brightness
and two times
total darkness
two times
brightness and
one time
darkness
two times
brightness and
two times
darkness
D
56
An unpolarized beam of intensity 2a2 passes
through a Polaroid. The intensity of emergent
plane polarized light is
a2
2a2
2 a2
a2/2
A
57
A calcite crystal is placed over a dot on piece
of paper and rotated. On seeing through a
calcite one finds
one dot
two dots
which are
stationary
one dot
rotating about
the other
two rotating
dots
C
58
In a doubly refracting crystals along optic axis
59
The axes of two Nicol prisms are parallel to
each other; one of the two Nicols is rotated
through 600. The ratio of intensity of
transmitted light before and after rotation is
60
Two PPL beams of equal amplitudes with
phase difference /2 are mutually
perpendicular. The superposition of two results
61
62
63
A rotating polarizer is placed into the path of a
light beam. If the intensity of the transmitted
light varies with zero minima twice in one
complete rotation, then the incident light will
be
A rotating polarizer is placed into the path of a
light beam. If the intensity of the transmitted
light varies with non-zero minima twice in one
complete rotation, then the incident light will
be
o > e
o - e
1:2
PPL
Plane
polarized
Plane
polarized
A rotating polarizer is placed into the path of a
light beam. If the intensity of the transmitted
Plane
light remains constant in one complete rotation, polarized
then the incident light will be
o < e
2:1
CPL
Either
elliptically
polarized or
partially
polarized
Either
elliptically
polarized or
partially
polarized
Either
elliptically
polarized or
partially
polarized
4:1
o - e2
1: 4
B
C
EPL
Par PL
B
Either
circularly
polarized or
unpolarized
None of these
A
Either
circularly
polarized or
unpolarized
None of these
D
Either
circularly
polarized or
unpolarized
None of these
B
64
Which of the following statement is correct?
plane polarized
light and
elliptically
polarized light
are the special
cases of
circularly
polarized light
65
The optically active substances, which rotate the
plane of polarization in clockwise direction, are
known as
dextro rotatory
or right- handed
substance
elliptically
polarized light
and circularly
polarized light
are the special
cases of plane
polarized light
plane polarized
light and
circularly
polarized light
are the special
cases of
elliptically
polarized light
None of these
B
dextro rotatory
or left- handed
substance
laevo rotatory
or right- handed
substance
laevo rotatory
or left- handed
substance
B