Abstract
In 1823, Fresnel published an original (physical) interpretation of complex numbers in his investigations of refraction and reflection of polarized light. This is arguably the first time that complex numbers were given a physical interpretation, which led to a better understanding of elliptical and circular polarizations. This rather unknown episode of the history of physics is described in this work, and some of the pedagogical lessons that can be extracted from it are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | American Journal of Physics |
| Volume | 86 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Pages (from-to) | 245-249 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 0002-9505 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2018 |