Mounted Quartz Samples

 

Code Number: 6H30.45

Demo Title: Polarization - Quartz

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Circular Polarization

Area of Study: Optics

Equipment:

Quartz plates with marked thickness and Right or Left hand polarization.

Procedure:

Place the plates between crossed Polaroids.  Note that there are two set of plates with the same thicknesses, one left handed and one right handed.  Rotate one polarizer and observe the colors.

References:

  • G.R. Davies, "Display of Interference in Highly Convergent Linearly Polarized White Light", AJP, Vol. 50, # 11, Nov. 1982, p. 1050.
  • L-131:  Richard Manliffe Sutton, Demonstration Experiments in Physics.
  • Optical Rotation, Wikipedia.
  • Quartz, Wikipedia.