Polarization
Why do colors suddenly appear where there were none before?
Polarizing filters reveal stresses in transparent plastics, creating unexpectedly colorful patterns.
The Science Behind It
The light on the table is polarized, which means it oscillates in only one direction. A polarizing filter lets through only light oscillating in that direction. With several filters, you can deliberately change this direction or block the light completely. When light passes through materials such as plastic or film, its direction of oscillation changes. This is especially interesting in materials under stress, where the light is rotated by different amounts. These differences appear as colorful patterns. Adhesive tape also changes the light: the glue causes the polarization to rotate differently, creating colored structures. The LCD clock also works with polarized light. Without the right filter, it remains invisible; the polarizing filter makes the display visible. The table shows that light has not only brightness and color, but also a direction.
