Unpolarized light of intensity i0 is incident on three polarizing filters. the axis of the first is vertical, that of the second is 43° from vertical, and that of the third is horizontal. what light intensity emerges from the third filter?

To determine the intensity, the key idea is to work through the system filter-by-filter and applying either the one-half rule for unpolarized light or the cosine-squared rule for an already polarized light.

When the light reach the first filter, it is unpolarized, so the intensity is :
            I1 = 1/2 I0                     (One-half rule)

Because the light reaching the second filter is polarized, given 43° angle difference, the intensity is : 
            I2 = I0 cos^2 (angle difference)
                = I0 cos^2 43°
                = 0.535 I0

Lastly, when the light reached the third filter, it is polarized and has angle diference equals to the angle between the second and last filter 47°. Using the same rule, we get :
           I3 = I2 cos^2 47°
               = (0.535 I0) cos^2 47°
               = (0.535 I0) (0.465)
               = 0.249 I0

So, the intensity which emerges is 0.249 I0.

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