At what angle above the horizontal is the sun if sunlight reflected from the surface of a calm lake is completely polarized? note that the angle asked for is the angle from the surface, not the angle from the normal.

Question

Dexter Tyler

Geography

11 April, 16:23

At what angle above the horizontal is the sun if sunlight reflected from the surface of a calm lake is completely polarized? note that the angle asked for is the angle from the surface, not the angle from the normal.

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Wesley Mckay · Answer 1

The sunlight doesn't come polarized on Earth, it is scattered and it depends a lot on the angle on which the light comes to the Earth how big of an effect it has. So for the sunlight to be completely polarized on the surface of a calm lake it needs to be falling at an angle of 90 degrees. This is only possible from the Equator to 23,5 degrees north and east of it.