polarization
Americannoun
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a sharp division, as of a population or group, into opposing factions.
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Optics. a state, or the production of a state, in which rays of light or similar radiation exhibit different properties in different directions.
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Electricity.
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the deposit of gases, produced during electrolysis, on the electrodes of a cell, increasing the resistance of the cell.
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a vector quantity indicating the electric dipole moment per unit of volume of a dielectric.
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the induction of polarity in a ferromagnetic substance.
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the production or acquisition of polarity.
noun
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the condition of having or giving polarity
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physics the process or phenomenon in which the waves of light or other electromagnetic radiation are restricted to certain directions of vibration, usually specified in terms of the electric field vector
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A condition in which transverse waves vibrate consistently in a single plane, or along a circle or ellipse. Electromagnetic radiation such as light is composed of transverse waves and can be polarized. Certain kinds of light filters, including sunglasses that reduce glare, work by filtering out light that is polarized in one direction.
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The displacement of positive and negative electric charge to opposite ends of a nuclear, atomic, molecular, or chemical system, especially by subjection to an electric field. Atoms and molecules have some inherent polarization.
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An increased resistance to the flow of current in a voltaic cell, caused by chemical reactions at the electrodes. Polarization results in a reduction of the electric potential across the voltaic cell.
Discover More
Reflected light, such as the light that produces glare on a sunny day, is polarized so that the electrical field is parallel to the ground. Some sunglasses are designed to take advantage of this property by blocking out that particular polarization while allowing other light to come through.
Other Word Forms
- depolarization noun
- repolarization noun
Etymology
Origin of polarization
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Trade escalation typically revives investor appetite for hedging assets, particularly in a global environment marked by slowing growth and rising geopolitical polarization,” said Rania Gule, senior market analyst at XS.com.
From MarketWatch
“This should be a moment of celebration, unity, and economic opportunity, not a flashpoint for fear, polarization, and violence,” the lawmakers wrote.
From Los Angeles Times
Political discord and polarization in the U.S. means most brands will continue to avoid hot-button topics.
Changing the polarization of the incoming beam reverses the steering direction, providing a simple and effective way to control where the light goes.
From Science Daily
“Today, corporate leaders feel a clearer risk of government retaliation and stakeholder polarization. Even the perception of risk can chill speech,” he said.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
