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A Classroom Demonstration of Rayleigh Light Scattering in Optically Active and Inactive Systems

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Monica Avalos Pecina and Charles A. Smith

Chemistry Department, Our Lady of the Lake University, 411 SW 24th Street, San Antonio, TX 78207-4689

Kristin Johnson

Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706

Penny Snetsinger

Department of Chemistry and Physics, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06432

J. Chem. Educ., 1999, 76 (9), p 1230

DOI: 10.1021/ed076p1230

Publication Date (Web): September 1, 1999

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

The objective of this demonstration is to allow students to make a direct observation of the rotation of polarized light in an optically active medium. The observation is performed by passing a laser beam through a long vertical cylinder, which contains a solution of a nonabsorbing optically active compound. Rayleigh scattered light from particulates in the solution allows a spiral pattern of light and dark areas to be observed. Students observe the three-dimensional nature of the spiral pattern by walking around the setup and viewing the cylinder and its contents on all sides. They can manipulate the spiral pattern by rotating the laser. To promote student understanding of the demonstration, a second demonstration is performed by replacing the optically active solution in the vertical cylinder with an optically inactive solution. The optically inactive demonstration allows students to observe scattered light that follows the theoretical directional radiation pattern of an oscillating dipole. Such Rayleigh scattering cross-sections are commonly encountered in discussions of Rayleigh scattering in many physical chemistry and modern optics textbooks. The demonstrations in this article are inexpensive and allow students to directly observe the results of Rayleigh scattering, optical activity, and the directional radiation pattern of an oscillating dipole.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Demonstrations

Keywords (Feature):

Tested Demonstrations

Keywords (Subject):

Lasers

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

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