← Back to catalogue
Research draft

polarization

vr.tr.polarization · XCT.STA

Let an agent explain the polarisation of light and waves, describe how it is produced, controlled and measured, describe applications, and separate this optical sense from electrical, chemical and social senses.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain the polarisation of light and waves, describe how it is produced, controlled and measured, describe applications, and separate this optical sense from electrical, chemical and social senses.

A property of transverse waves, especially light and other electromagnetic radiation, describing the orientation of their oscillations, as linear, circular or elliptical polarisation, produced by reflection, scattering and birefringence and controlled by polarisers and prisms such as Nicol, Wollaston, Glan-Thompson and Nomarski prisms; polarisation is used in sunglasses, displays, photography, microscopy, communications and astronomy, and the term also names phenomena in electric fields, chemistry and, figuratively, society.

What it is for: Orientation of wave oscillations.

It can be explain the phenomenon; describe production and control; describe applications; separate other senses.

Distinguishing features

Transverse waves

Polarisation states

Polarisers and birefringence

Wide application

What it looks like

Not directly visible; revealed by polarisers.

How it is recognised

Orientation of oscillation in transverse waves

Linear, circular, elliptical; polarisers and prisms

Electric polarisation concerns charge separation; social polarisation is figurative

Related models

is a kind of - category

optical property

is a kind of - category

physical property

is related to - another optical property

transparency

is related to - reflection affecting polarisation

mirror

In practice

Families and kinds

linear polarisation

circular and elliptical polarisation

polarisation by reflection and scattering

polarising devices and prisms

polarisation of radio and other waves

Standards and regulation

Optical component specifications

Standards for polarised sunglasses

No regulation of the concept

Failure modes and hazards

Confusing senses of polarisation

Misinterpreting polariser orientations

Overstating everyday effects

Also called

polarizerNomarski prismWollaston prismNicol prismGlan–Thompson prismGlan–Taylor prismGlan–Foucault prismRochon prismSénarmont prismelliptical polarizationPolarization in astronomycircular polarizationlinear polarizationphoton polarizationspin polarization

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Also registered as vr.tr.polarization-state

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What polarisation is.

Physics.

Concept

Concept and states.

Concept

Concept.

  1. What is polarisation of light, and how do linear, circular and elliptical states differ? definition
  2. Is the optical or another sense meant? boundary

Production

Production.

Production

Production.

  1. How do reflection, scattering, birefringence and polarisers produce polarised light? definition
  2. Which entry fits birefringence? action
Control Devices and measurement.

Practice.

Devices

Polarisers and prisms.

Devices

Devices.

  1. How do polarising filters and prisms such as Nicol, Wollaston and Glan-Thompson prisms work? provenance
  2. Which entry fits a specific prism? action

Measure

Measuring polarisation.

Measure

Measurement.

  1. How is the polarisation state of light measured? measurement
  2. Which entry fits polarimetry? action
Apply Applications.

Applications.

Everyday

Everyday uses.

Everyday

Everyday.

  1. How is polarisation used in sunglasses, displays, photography and three-dimensional cinema? provenance
  2. Which entry fits a specific application? action

Science

Science and communications.

Science

Science.

  1. How is polarisation used in microscopy, astronomy, remote sensing and communications? provenance
  2. Which entry fits polarisation microscopy? action
Learn History and teaching.

Education.

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How was polarisation discovered and explained, from Malus and Fresnel to modern optics? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Teach

Teaching.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How can polarisation be taught with filters and experiments? action
  2. Which misconceptions arise? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should polarising prisms be a separate entry?
  • How should optics resources be linked?
  • How should other senses be separated?
Draft as JSON