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8 votes
1 answer
504 views

Skylight reflection shows birefringence patterns

I noticed that the skylight where I work looked white to me, but its reflection from the tiles below showed a colorful pattern. See the images below, and also a video that shows this effect from ...
AlphaLife's user avatar
  • 12.5k
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why do I see a rainbow when I look at Insulfilm with my sunglasses?

I'm wearing glasses with a sunglass clip-on. This means I have my regular glasses and, on top of them, I have a second pair of lenses that work as sunglasses and attach to my regular glasses using ...
Níckolas Alves's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
34 views

Orienting birefringent crystal the right way in an interferometer

I'm working in a lab that involves transforming the polarization state of one beam of light in an interferometer via a Barium Borate (BBO) birefringent crystal. As the polarization state is altered ...
Jonathan L.'s user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
539 views

Significance of colours in photoelasticity

I already checked similar question at Physics SE, but none gives me a clear answer, also it is a bit difficult for me to understand it from wikipedia as I couldn't find relating material to my ...
user avatar
11 votes
6 answers
4k views

What causes polarised materials to change colour under stress?

Our physics teacher showed the class a really interesting demonstration. He used two polarised filters in opposite orientations, then he took some antistatic tape and stretched it under the two plates....
Thomas O's user avatar
  • 3,197