Inversion of light polarization by sucrose hydrolysis

In this experiment you will study the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of sucrose.

Questions

  1. Unpolarized light with intensity I0 propagates through two crossed polarizers. The intensity of the light after second polarizer is obviously equal to zero. A third polarizer is placed between first and second polarizers. The angle between its axis and that of the first polarizer is equal to 30°. What is the intensity of the light after second polarizer now?
  2. Which molecules can not be optically active: H2, CH4, CHClBr2, CHClBrF, C3H6Br2, CH3CHClCH2Cl?
  3. A solution of 15 g of sucrose in water has a volume of 100 ml. What is the rotational angle if the polarized light passes through 10 cm of such solution? Assume that the solution density is 1.07 g/cm3 and that the specific rotation is equal to 66.40 °ml/(dm·gr).
  4. Through what angle should an analyzer be rotated from the incoming plane of polarization to reduce the intensity to one-fourth?