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A polarimeter [1] is a scientific instrument used to measure optical rotation: the angle of rotation caused by passing linearly polarized light through an optically active substance. [ 2 ] Some chemical substances are optically active, and linearly polarized (uni-directional) light will rotate either to the left (counter-clockwise) or right ...
Scientists will often use a device called a polarizing plate to convert natural light into polarized light. [ 1 ] These illumination techniques are most commonly used on birefringent samples where the polarized light interacts strongly with the sample and so generating contrast with the background.
Optical activity is measured using a polarized source and polarimeter. This is a tool particularly used in the sugar industry to measure the sugar concentration of syrup, and generally in chemistry to measure the concentration or enantiomeric ratio of chiral molecules in solution.
Polarimetry is used in remote sensing applications, such as planetary science, astronomy, and weather radar. Polarimetry can also be included in computational analysis of waves. For example, radars often consider wave polarization in post-processing to improve the characterization of the targets.
The rotation is reported using degrees, and no units of concentration are given (it is assumed to be g/100mL). The sign of the rotation (+ or −) is always given. If the wavelength of the light used is 589 nanometer (the sodium D line), the symbol “D” is used. If the temperature is omitted, it is assumed to be at standard room temperature ...
A deuterium arc lamp (or simply deuterium lamp) is a low-pressure gas-discharge light source often used in spectroscopy when a continuous spectrum in the ultraviolet region is needed. Plasma "arc" or discharge lamps using hydrogen are notable for their high output in the ultraviolet, with comparatively little output in the visible and infrared.
The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) was a space telescope with a 50cm diameter mirror for spectroscopy and polarimetry in the ultraviolet spectral range. It was used in conjunction with other telescopes on the shuttle missions STS-35 (ASTRO-1 in December 1990) [ 1 ] and STS-67 (ASTRO-2 in March 1995).
The two exiting rays have polarizations orthogonal (at right angles) to each other, but the lower, or e-ray, is the more commonly used for further experimentation because it is again traveling in the original horizontal direction, assuming that the calcite prism angles have been properly cut.