Definition: Polarization

From New World Encyclopedia
(Redirected from Polarization)

Etymology

From French polarisation. Morphologically polarize + -ation.

Noun

polarization (countable and uncountable, plural polarizations)

  1. The production or the condition of polarity.
    1. (sociology) The grouping of opinions into two extremes.
      Political polarization is dividing the country.
    2. (physics) The production of polarized light; the direction in which the electric field of an electromagnetic wave points.
    3. (chemistry, physics) The separation of positive and negative charges in a nucleus, atom, molecule, or system.

Derived terms

  • affective partisan polarization
  • bipolarization
  • depolarization
  • hyperpolarization
  • hypopolarization
  • interstellar polarization
  • polarization vector
  • prepolarization
  • repolarization
  • spin polarization

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