Brewster's Angle Calculator

Find the angle at which reflected light is fully polarized.

Brewster's angle (°) 56.31

Formula: θ_B = arctan(n₂ ÷ n₁)

Step-by-step with your numbers:
1. Values used:
2. Index of medium 1 = 1
3. Index of medium 2 = 1.5
4.
5. Brewster's angle = 56.31°
Did we solve your problem today?

At Brewster's angle, reflected light becomes completely polarized.

The math behind it

θ_B = arctan(n₂/n₁). Polarized sunglasses exploit this to cut glare.

Worked example

Air to glass (1 → 1.5) → about 56.3°.

FAQ

Why does glare get polarized?

Reflection off non-metals preferentially reflects one polarization, strongest at Brewster's angle.