Skip to main content
Log in

Polarized Light and Quantum Mechanics: An Optical Analog of the Stern–Gerlach Experiment

  • Laboratories and Demonstrations
  • Published:
The Chemical Educator

Abstract

Lecture demonstrations involving polarization of light are presented and discussed from the quantum theoretical point of view. The demonstrations clearly show that only two base states are required to describe the quantum state of a photon and they illustrate an optical analog of the Stern—Gerlach experiment that involved electrons.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph M. Brom.

About this article

Cite this article

Brom, J.M., Rioux, F. Polarized Light and Quantum Mechanics: An Optical Analog of the Stern–Gerlach Experiment. Chem. Educator 7, 200–204 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00897020580a

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00897020580a

Keywords

Navigation