Polarized sunglasses cut down glare from a lake. How do the lenses achieve this?
AThey absorb horizontal light waves and transmit vertical waves
BThey absorb vertical light waves and transmit horizontal waves
CThey absorb every direction of light equally
DThey transmit every direction of light equally
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. They absorb horizontal light waves and transmit vertical waves
1. Light reflected from water, glass or another shiny surface is mostly polarized horizontally.
2. Polarizing sunglasses absorb most of the horizontal light waves and transmit the vertical waves.
3. Cutting down the horizontal component is exactly what cuts down the glare, since glare is caused by horizontal waves.
4. An option that absorbs the vertical component instead would block the wanted light rather than the glare.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 15 "Light", section 15.2 The Behavior of Electromagnetic Radiation_
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