Word Meanings - POLARIZATION - Book Publishers vocabulary database

A peculiar affection or condition of the rays of light or heat, in consequence of which they exhibit different properties in different directions. Note: If a beam of light, which has been reflected from a plate of unsilvered glass at an angle of

Additional info about word: POLARIZATION

A peculiar affection or condition of the rays of light or heat, in consequence of which they exhibit different properties in different directions. Note: If a beam of light, which has been reflected from a plate of unsilvered glass at an angle of about 56°, be received upon a second plate of glass similar to the former, and at the same angle of incidence, the light will be readily reflected when the two planes of incidence are parallel to each other, but will not be reflected when the two planes of incidence are perpendicular to each other. The light has, therefore, acquired new properties by reflection from the first plate of glass, and is called polarized light, while the modification which the light has experienced by this reflection is called polarization. The plane in which the beam of light is reflected from the first mirror is called the plane of polarization. The angle of polarization is the angle at which a beam of light must be reflected, in order that the polarization may be the most complete. The term polarization was derived from the theory of emission, and it was conceived that each luminous molecule has two poles analogous to the poles of a magnet; but this view is not now held. According to the undulatory theory, ordinary light is produced by vibrations transverse or perpendicular to the direction of the ray, and distributed as to show no distinction as to any particular direction. But when, by any means, these, vibrations are made to take place in one plane, the light is said to be plane polarized. If only a portion of the vibrations lie in one plane the ray is said to be partially polarized. Light may be polarized by several methods other than by reflection, as by refraction through most crystalline media, or by being transmitted obliquely through several plates of glass with parallel faces. If a beam of polarized light be transmitted through a crystal of quartz in the direction of its axis, the plane of polarization will be changed by an angle proportional to the thickness of the crystal. This phenomenon is called rotatory polarization. A beam of light reflected from a metallic surface, or from glass surfaces under certain peculiar conditions, acquires properties still more complex, its vibrations being no longer rectilinear, but circular, or elliptical. This phenomenon is called circular or elliptical polarization. (more info) 1. The act of polarizing; the state of being polarized, or of having polarity.

Related words: (words related to POLARIZATION)

• PECULIARIZE
  To make peculiar; to set appart or assign, as an exclusive possession. Dr. John Smith.
• PLATEFUL
  Enough to fill a plate; as much as a plate will hold.
• LIGHT
  licht, OHG. lioht, Goth. liuhap, Icel. lj, L. lux light, lucere to 1. That agent, force, or action in nature by the operation of which upon the organs of sight, objects are rendered visible or luminous. Note: Light was regarded formerly
• EXHIBITION
  The act of administering a remedy. (more info) 1. The act of exhibiting for inspection, or of holding forth to view; manifestation; display. 2. That which is exhibited, held forth, or displayed; also, any public show; a display of works of art,
• DIFFERENTIALLY
  In the way of differentiation.
• EXHIBITIONER
  One who has a pension or allowance granted for support. A youth who had as an exhibitioner from Christ's Hospital. G. Eliot.
• GLASSEN
  Glassy; glazed. And pursues the dice with glassen eyes. B. Jonson.
• LIGHTSOME
  1. Having light; lighted; not dark or gloomy; bright. White walls make rooms more lightsome than black. Bacon. 2. Gay; airy; cheering; exhilarating. That lightsome affection of joy. Hooker. -- Light"some*ly, adv. -- Light"some*ness, n. Happiness
• CONDITIONALITY
  The quality of being conditional, or limited; limitation by certain terms.
• ANGLE
  A name given to four of the twelve astrological "houses." Chaucer. 5. Etym: (more info) 1. The inclosed space near the point where two lines; a corner; a nook. Into the utmost angle of the world. Spenser. To search the tenderest angles
• AFFECTION
  Disease; morbid symptom; malady; as, a pulmonary affection. Dunglison. 7. The lively representation of any emotion. Wotton. 8. Affectation. "Spruce affection." Shak. 9. Passion; violent emotion. Most wretched man, That to affections
• LIGHTNESS
  The state, condition, or quality, of being light or not heavy; buoyancy; levity; fickleness; delicacy; grace. Syn. -- Levity; volatility; instability; inconstancy; unsteadiness; giddiness; flightiness; airiness; gayety; liveliness; agility;
• DIFFERENTLY
  In a different manner; variously.
• LIGHT-ARMED
  Armed with light weapons or accouterments.
• LIGHTERAGE
  1. The price paid for conveyance of goods on a lighter. 2. The act of unloading into a lighter, or of conveying by a lighter.
• PECULIARNESS
  The quality or state of being peculiar; peculiarity. Mede.
• LIGHT-O'-LOVE
  1. An old tune of a dance, the name of which made it a proverbial expression of levity, especially in love matters. Nares. "Best sing it to the tune of light-o'-love." Shak. 2. Hence: A light or wanton woman. Beau. & Fl.
• CONDITIONAL
  Expressing a condition or supposition; as, a conditional word, mode, or tense. A conditional proposition is one which asserts the dependence of one categorical proposition on another. Whately. The words hypothetical and conditional may be . . .
• GLASSINESS
  The quality of being glassy.
• GLASSWORT
  A seashore plant of the Spinach family , with succulent jointed stems; also, a prickly plant of the same family , both formerly burned for the sake of the ashes, which yield soda for making glass and soap.
• SUPERREFLECTION
  The reflection of a reflected image or sound. Bacon.
• INCONSEQUENCE
  The quality or state of being inconsequent; want of just or logical inference or argument; inconclusiveness. Bp. Stillingfleet. Strange, that you should not see the inconsequence of your own reasoning! Bp. Hurd.
• SLIGHTNESS
  The quality or state of being slight; slenderness; feebleness; superficiality; also, formerly, negligence; indifference; disregard.
• DELIGHTING
  Giving delight; gladdening. -- De*light"ing*ly, adv. Jer. Taylor.
• WET PLATE
  A plate the film of which retains its sensitiveness only while wet. The film used in such plates is of collodion impregnated with bromides and iodides. Before exposure the plate is immersed in a solution of silver nitrate, and immediately after
• DRUMMOND LIGHT
  A very intense light, produced by turning two streams of gas, one oxygen and the other hydrogen, or coal gas, in a state of ignition, upon a ball of lime; or a stream of oxygen gas through a flame of alcohol upon a ball or disk of lime; -- called
• BRANGLE
  A wrangle; a squabble; a noisy contest or dispute. A brangle between him and his neighbor. Swift. (more info) brangle to shake, menace; probably a variant of wrangle, confused
• UNTANGLE
  To loose from tangles or intricacy; to disentangle; to resolve; as, to untangle thread. Untangle but this cruel chain. Prior.
• CONTEMPLATE
  contemplate; con- + templum a space for observation marked out by the 1. To look at on all sides or in all its bearings; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study. To love,
• VEILED PLATE
  A fogged plate.
• DELIGHTLESS
  Void of delight. Thomson.
• QUINQUEANGLED
  Having five angles; quinquangular.
• TRIANGLE
  A figure bounded by three lines, and containing three angles. Note: A triangle is either plane, spherical, or curvilinear, according as its sides are straight lines, or arcs of great circles of a sphere, or any curved lines whatever. A