An Innovative Physics Professor Conducts Laboratory Exercises in the College

Multiple Choice

An innovative physics professor conducts laboratory exercises in the college swimming pool.Suppose that one exercise was the measurement of the degree of polarization by bouncing laser light off the vertically-oriented transparent polycarbonate side wall of the pool.The laser is shone on the pool wall at an angle of 42 degrees with respect to the vertical,and at that angle the reflected ray is perfectly polarized.What is the index of refraction of the material? It will help to recall that the index of refraction of water is 1.33.

A) 1.11
B) 1.28
C) 1.20
D) 1.48