Home made polarimeter, #2

The video shows a home made polarimeter with 4 "chambers" made from 4 oz fruit cans glued to a pane of glass. The glass pane is resting on the screen of a laptop computer. The light from the computer screen is polarized. The video was shot through a polarized lens from a pair of sunglasses.

The level of light that passes through the lens varies with the light's plan of polarization. When the light entering the lens is at right angles to the direction of polarization for the lens, the light is blocked. (Note that the light from the computer is polarized at a 45 degree angle, so that you can read the screen with your sunglasses on). Light that is parallel to the len's plane fo polarization passes through, and intermediate angles are partially blocked.

The 4 chambers contain water or varying amounts of glucose solution (Karo syrup). The glucose solutions rotate the plane of polarization - glucose is an "optically active" molecule.

The computer rests on a lazy susan, whcih allows it it spin 360 degrees.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• science
• gadget

[sajibaby1]

totally awesome =)

[sodaboy7]

brilliant dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[massacreking]

thanks for demonstrating this concept