What does polarization mean? (1 Viewer)

[toprun91]

Does anyone know what polarization means. I read this sentence " Hertz was able to show that, like light, the new electromagnetic waves could be polarised."

 

[k02033]

when an EMR is linearly polarized the oscillation of the electric fields only occurs in one plane. This is the maximum degree of polarization.

so generally polarization is restriction of the electric field of the EMR to oscillate in certain planes only.

 

[toprun91]

Thx for your answer can you explain it a little more simply

 

[Nuendo]

so generally polarization is restriction of the electric field of the EMR to oscillate in certain planes only.

In relation to Hertz, he only achieved a spark in the secondary loop when the discharge gaps were in a parallel plane with each other. From this, he observed that EMR travelled in straight lines and were in fact transverse waves, since only these can be polarised.

So basically, I remember the concept of polarisation as a restricting path for EMR (ie, Hertz had to align his loops in a specific way, with the help of parabolic mirrors, in order to transmit the waves)

 

[toprun91]

In relation to Hertz, he only achieved a spark in the secondary loop when the discharge gaps were in a parallel plane with each other. From this, he observed that EMR travelled in straight lines and were in fact transverse waves, since only these can be polarised.

So basically, I remember the concept of polarisation as a restricting path for EMR (ie, Hertz had to align his loops in a specific way, with the help of parabolic mirrors, in order to transmit the waves)

Thankyou

 

[k02033]

So basically, I remember the concept of polarization as a restricting path for EMR

polarization is not about limiting which path the EMR can travel.. you can have a source sending out polarized light in all directions.

polarization is when you look at any particular EMR wave, and its electric fields are oscillating in certain planes only. Maybe this is hard to see without diagrams, just wiki it, and you will see.

 

[toprun91]

polarization is not about limiting which path the EMR can travel.. you can have a source sending out polarized light in all directions.

polarization is when you look at any particular EMR wave, and its electric fields are oscillating in certain planes only. Maybe this is hard to see without diagrams, just wiki it, and you will see.

Good answer easy to understand

 

[rama_v]

Keep in mind there also exists circularly polarised electromagnetic waves, where the tip of the electric field vector draws out a circle over time. Of course it could rotate right, or left, over time, so you can get both right and left-polarised waves.

Circular polarization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia