The Polarization Paradox
How can adding a third filter let MORE light through?
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Question 1 of 2What does a polarizing filter check about a photon?
The story
Quarky lines up two sunglasses lenses and the light goes dark. Then, like a magic trick, Quarky slips a third lens in the middle at a slanted angle, and light comes pouring back through! It turns out each filter does not just block light, it gives each photon a brand new direction to point in. The middle filter re-asks the question at a tilt, so photons that would have been stopped get a fresh chance to sneak past.
What you'll learn
- Light waves wiggle in a direction, called polarization
- A polarizing filter measures a photon and changes it
- Two crossed filters block almost all light
- A slanted filter in between gives photons a new chance
- Measuring in quantum physics changes what you measure
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