Light and Polarization

[P3D <JValaVIDI@xxxxxxx>]

  Marcus J Warrington writes:
   
> The lads at work still insist that light is planar and travels in waves and
so
> circular polarisation ((anti)Clockwise) is impossible..... Help..
> 
> Marcus ?8^)
> 

   .... or is it a particle and travels in packets?  And how is it that light
slows down when it travels through anything other than vacuum?  Where does it
get its energy to speed back up?!  And is it vertically polarized or
horizontally polarized?  What?... Polarized Stereo Glasses are polarized at
45 degrees!!??  If light doesn't weigh anything then how can it be influinced
by gravity??!!   This light business can really be confusing.  

   It can be really difficult trying to explain all of the characteristics
and properties of light to folks whose only understanding of it is On and
Off, and a few colors in between.  I agree with George Gioumousis, direct
them to a good Physics or Optics book and let them cogitate a little more
before their next answer.  

   Light and optics is really an interesting field and is often difficult to
explain in layman's terms but we will try to help each other out when we can.



John Vala
Virtual Imaging Devices, Inc.



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