Fresnel’s Equations and Polarization of Light

This experiment tested Fresnel’s equations by measuring the reflection and transmission of polarized laser light through a plastic prism. By rotating the incident angle and recording beam intensities, we identified a Brewster angle of 56° ± 1° and a critical angle of 43° ± 1°, which were then used to calculate the plastic’s index of refraction (~1.47).

The experimental results aligned closely with theoretical predictions, confirming the expected behavior of P- and S-polarized light. Data visualization, curve fitting, and uncertainty analysis were performed in MATLAB, which streamlined the comparison between measured and calculated intensities.

This project combined optical experimentation, computational modeling, and data validation to confirm a cornerstone of electromagnetic theory.