Polarization of light / optical activity

The photons of natural light have

Various polarisation planes and all orientations are equally probable

The photons of the partially polarized light have

various polarisation planes, which are not equally probable

At certain angles of incidence

The reflected beams are linearly polarised while the refracted beam is partially polarized

There is optical anisotropy when

The optical properties depend on the direction of light propagation through the material

Dichroic crystals

absorb the ordinary ray, and only the extraordinary ray leaves the crystal

A polarizer used to determine the polarization

An optical element which transforms unpolarized light into linearly polarised light

An analyzer is

a polariser used to determine the polarisation plane of light

Polarimetry is

a method for measuring the concentration of optically rotating substances in solutions

Polarimetry uses

monochromatic linearly polarised light at constant sample temperature

The angle of rotation in optical activity depends on

path length, concentration, and the specific rotation of the optical active substance

Spectropolarimetry is a

method for investigation of the structure of optically rotating samples by the dispersion of their specific rotation

The image observed by polarisation microscopy is due to the

optical activity of the object

The ordinary ( o -ray ) and extraordinary ( e- ray ) propagate in the material with

different speed, orthogonal polarisations, different directions