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Why does the polarization type ($s$ or $p$) of electromagnetic waves effect the reflectivity and reflectivity of the light differently

Physics Asked on March 20, 2021

So the Fresnel equations can describe the reflectivity and transmission of $s$ and $p$ polarized light and show that there is a different relationship between angle of incidence and the power reflection coefficient for each type of polarization (shown in the the graph).

What i am wondering is why that is, Why is it that parallel polarization and perpendicular polarization react differently when reflecting off a medium?

graph of intensity vs angle of incidence

One Answer

Well, I encourage you to work through the derivation of the Fresnel Equations. What you’ll find is that the difference between $s$ and $p$ polarizations comes from the boundary conditions. Due to Gauss’ Law, the parallel component of the electric field is continuous across the boundary, while the normal component is discontinuous. The $p$ polarization has a component of field normal to the interface, while $s$ does not.

Correct answer by Gilbert on March 20, 2021

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