Photon Emission Rate and Optics Questions

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around three physics problems related to photon emission, polarization, and diffraction grating, which the poster finds challenging due to a lack of prior coverage in class. The first question involves calculating the photon emission rate of a sodium vapor light, with the correct answer being approximately 2.97 x 10^19 photons/s. The second question pertains to the angle between two polarizing filters, with the intensity of light emerging from the second filter being 12.5% of the first. The third question involves determining the angle of deflection for first-order maxima using a diffraction grating with 5000 lines per cm. The poster expresses frustration over the lack of theoretical background provided before these problems were assigned.
vitaly
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I'm really lost on these 3 questions. My physics teacher decided she was sick of thermodynamics and gave us this packet over material we haven't covered yet, but she expects us to get it without any problem. I'm really stuck on these:

1. Assume that sodium produces monochromatic light with a wavelength of 5.89x10^-7 m. At what rate would a 10 watt sodium vapor light be emitting photons?
A. 3.5x10^19 photons/s
B. 3.0x10^19 photons/s
C. 2.5x10^19 photons/s
D. 2.0x10^19 photons/s
I don't even know how to start this problem. We have never done anything with photons yet in our class. I tried looking for an equation, but I couldn't find anything. Does anybody know a certain equation I have to use to solve this?

2. Non-polarized light first passes through one polarizing filter and then through a second. If the intensity of light emerging from the second filter is 12.5% of hte light that struck the first filter, at what angle must the axes of the two filters be with respect to one another?
A. 7 degrees
B. 30 degrees
C. 42 degrees
D. 60 degrees
E. 83 degrees
Again, we have never covered polarization, but I think to find an angle you have to use inverse tangent. I just don't know what value to use the inverse tangent on. How can I solve this problem??

3. At transmission, diffraction grating is ruled with 5000 lines per cm. Through what angle will the first order maxima be deflected when light with a wavelength of 4.5x10^-7 m strikes the grating at an angle of incidence of 0 degrees?
Again, never had this material. But again, don't you use the inverse of a function to find the angle needed? But like in the last problem, I don't know what value to use the inverse on. Is there a formula I could use?

All help is appreciated. Thanks.
 
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It's not okay (for me,at least,if i were you,even if just for a sec) to think of solving problems without knowing the theory first.So how about either wait till u cover the theory in class,or do some reading from the textbook...?

Daniel.
 
I'm reading. I was able to solve the other 5 problems that came with these. But, these questions are due tomorrow at the beginning of class... Which means, we're not going over them.
 
Oh, and our textbook is a Conceptual PHysics book, and there is no math in it. so I can't really consult it. This isn't the first time I've received random problems I didn't know how to do.
 
You don't need math.These problems are all about logics (<--------Conceptual Physics) and simple arithmetics & algebra...

I'll let someone else do the theory explanation.

Daniel.
 
the ans is the 2nd option.

the original answer is 2.971*10^19.
 
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