| Optics
> Polarization > Circular Polarization |
DCS#
6H30.30 |
BARBER POLE DISPLAY
-
APPARATUS
cylinder of
corn syrup
|
101-01-B, IGA
|
a
few grains of silver nitrate
|
Chem
|
slide
projector with circular mask
|
202-09-F
|
polarizing
filter in rotating mount
|
101-02-D6
|
DC
power supply
|
202-08-D
|
mirror
|
101-06-E2
|
DESCRIPTION
Shine a beam of
polarized light through the cylinder. The sugar solution is
optically active and rotates the plane of polarization through an angle
that depends on the wavelength of the light and the depth of the
solution. The silver nitrate
scatters the light, producing a helix of color that rotates with the
polarizer.
Insert a color filter or replace the white light with a laser, and
maxima and minima can be seen.
REFERENCES