Brewster’s angle is the special angle at which light, when it strikes a surface like glass or water, gets reflected as completely polarized light.
How it relates to polarization:
- When unpolarized light hits a surface at this angle, the reflected light becomes fully polarized in a direction perpendicular to the surface.
- At Brewster’s angle, the reflected and refracted (transmitted) light rays are at right angles to each other.
- Only the component of light vibrating in a particular direction is reflected, while the rest passes through the surface. This causes the reflected light to have vibrations in only one direction—it becomes linearly polarized.
Why it’s important:
- Brewster’s angle is used in polarizing sunglasses to reduce glare from roads, water, or glass surfaces.
- Photographers use filters based on this principle to cut reflections in photos.
- It helps scientists study material surfaces and is useful in designing optical devices and lasers that need polarized light.