POLARIZATION

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does polarization mean? 

• POLARIZATION (noun)
  The noun POLARIZATION has 2 senses:

1. the phenomenon in which waves of light or other radiation are restricted in direction of vibration

2. the condition of having or giving polarity

  Familiarity information: POLARIZATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• POLARIZATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The phenomenon in which waves of light or other radiation are restricted in direction of vibration

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

polarisation; polarization

Hypernyms ("polarization" is a kind of...):

optical phenomenon (a physical phenomenon related to or involving light)

Derivation:

polarize (become polarized in a conflict or contrasting situation)

polarize (cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The condition of having or giving polarity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

polarisation; polarization

Hypernyms ("polarization" is a kind of...):

condition; status (a state at a particular time)

Derivation:

polarize (cause to vibrate in a definite pattern)

 Context examples 

This protein is involved in the modulation of mitochondrial polarization.

(Mitochondrial Carrier Homolog 2, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes mitochondrial carrier homolog 2 protein, plays a role in mitochondrial polarization.

(MTCH2 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in the cytoskeletal polarization of epithelial cells and also plays a role in neuronal cell migration and cytoskeletal rearrangements.

(PARD6A Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Permethrin affects the neuronal membrane by blocking the movement of sodium ions from outside to inside the neuronal cell membrane thereby disrupting the sodium channel current that regulates the polarization of the membrane.

(Permethrin, NCI Thesaurus)

The data also reveal variations of the polarization direction within nearby clouds of gas and dust.

(Planck Takes Magnetic Fingerprint of Our Galaxy, JPL/NASA)

The relaxation rate of the net nuclear spin polarization in the direction of the magnetic field of a spectrometer back to its equilibrium value.

(Longitudinal Relaxation Rate, NCI Thesaurus)

As a class Ic antiarrhythmic that blocks sodium channels, flecainide depresses polarization phase 0 and decreases the induction velocity of the His-Purkinje system.

(Flecainide, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes partitioning defective 6 homolog alpha protein, plays a role in asymmetrical cell division and cell polarization processes.

(PARD6A wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

Tests may include polarization, potentiostatic, galvanic, critical pitting/crevice temperature, and inhibitor testing.

(Device Degradation Corrosion Erosion Testing Evaluation Method, Food and Drug Administration)

The ability of a chiral substance to rotate the plane of polarization of a beam of transmitted plane-polarized light, either clockwise (to the right) or counterclockwise (to the left).

(Optical Rotation, NCI Thesaurus)