Animation 1 | Animation 2 | Animation 3 | Animation 4

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Initially, this animation shows a traveling wave. Click-drag to the right or left to rotate about the z axis. Click-drag up or down to rotate in the xy plane. The subsequent animations show this wave passing through a polarizer. The direction of polarization is indicated by the black line. Restart. Which, if any, of the animations are correct? Explain.

Problem authored by Mario Belloni and Wolfgang Christian and modified by Anne J. Cox.