Another 'What is it?' game

Images made through a microscope. All subject types.

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rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

curt0909 wrote:I know a magnetic field can affect polarized light. If you direct linear polarized light between two attracting magnetic poles it will change the polarization to circular.
Sort of. As explained by this snippet from http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/sho ... p?t=142401,
The magnetic field doesn't directly affect the light. It affects the polarization currents in the material the light is passing through. With a magnetic field parallel to the direction of travel of the light, the charges will be displaced perpendicular to the plane of polarization, and will add a component of the other polarization. In a vacuum, the Farady rotation should be zero.
--Rik

curt0909
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Post by curt0909 »

Interesting, I wasn't aware that it needed a medium to exert its effect. I thought it was a direct effect on the light. Thanks for the info.

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