Open AccessX. On the reflection and refraction of light at the surface of a magnetized medium
Publication year - 1891
Publication title -
philosophical transactions of the royal society of london. a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9231
pISSN - 0264-3820
DOI - 10.1098/rsta.1891.0010
Subject(s) - refraction , optics , reflection (computer programming) , magnetism , perpendicular , physics , surface (topology) , electromagnetic radiation , light reflection , condensed matter physics , geometry , mathematics , computer science , programming language
1. The object of this investigation is to endeavour to ascertain how far the electromagnetic theory of light, as at present developed, is capable of giving a theoretical explanation of Dr. Kerr’s experiments on the effect of magnetism on light. In the first series of experiments polarized light was reflected from the polished pole of an electromagnet, and it was found that when the circuit was closed, so that the reflecting surface became magnetized perpendicularly to itself, the reflected light exhibited certain peculiarities, which disappeared when the circuit was broken.