Double Refraction Quiz

What happens when unpolarized light passes through anisotropic crystals?

What is the ray called that always obeys the laws of refraction and has vibrations perpendicular to the principle section in anisotropic crystals?

What is the characteristic of the ordinary ray in anisotropic crystals?

What is the characteristic of the extraordinary ray in anisotropic crystals?

What are the corresponding refractive indices for the ordinary and extraordinary rays in anisotropic crystals?

Unpolarized Light and Anisotropic Crystals

Unpolarized light consists of waves vibrating in multiple planes, and when it passes through anisotropic crystals, it becomes polarized.
Anisotropic crystals have different optical properties along different axes, leading to unique behavior of light.

Ordinary Ray

The ordinary ray is a wave that follows Snell's law of refraction.
It has vibrations perpendicular to the principal section of the crystal.
This ray experiences a constant refractive index, regardless of the light's direction entering the crystal.

Extraordinary Ray

The extraordinary ray does not always obey Snell's law and behaves differently depending on its direction of propagation through the crystal.
This ray's vibrations occur in the plane of the principal section and can vary in refractive index based on propagation angle.

Refractive Indices

The ordinary ray has a constant refractive index, typically denoted as "n_o."
The extraordinary ray has a varying refractive index, commonly referred to as "n_e," which changes with the direction of the light within the crystal.

Test your knowledge of optics and crystal properties with this quiz on double refraction. Learn about the phenomenon of unpolarized light splitting into two refracted rays when passing through anisotropic crystals like quartz and calcite.