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When unpolarized light is incident on a transparent surface at the Brewster (polarizing) angle, which beam is completely polarized?

1. The reflected light
2. The refracted light
3. Both the reflected and the refracted light
4. Neither the reflected nor the refracted light

Correct answer: The reflected light

Solution

At the polarizing (Brewster) angle, the reflected ray is completely plane-polarized with its E-field perpendicular to the plane of incidence. The refracted ray remains only partially polarized. Thus only the reflected light is completely polarized.

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