Light and Color - Mission LC2 Detailed Help

When light reflects off a nonmetallic surface, it becomes polarized. A generalization can be made about the direction of vibration of the polarized light. The reflected light tends to be vibrating in a plane that is ____.


 
Polarization by Reflection off a Nonmetallic Surface:
Unpolarized light often becomes partially polarized when it reflects off a nonmetallic surface such as the calm waters of a lake or an asphalt roadway. A portion of the reflected light becomes polarized in a plane that is parallel to the reflecting surface.