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In physics
Physics

Physics is the natural science which examines basic concepts such as energy, force, and spacetime and all that derives from these, such as mass, charge, matter and its Motion ....
, polarity is a description of an attribute, typically a binary attribute (one with two values), or a vector
Vector

Vector may refer to:...
 (a direction). For example:



Chemical polarity
Chemical polarity

In chemistry, polarity refers to the dipole-dipole intermolecular forces between the slightly electric charge end of one molecule to the negative end of another or the same molecule....
 is a feature of chemical bond
Chemical bond

A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between atoms and molecules, and that which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic chemical compounds....
s, where two different atom
Atom

|-! bgcolor=gray | Properties|-||}The atom is a basic unit of matter consisting of a dense, central atomic nucleus surrounded by a electron cloud of electric charge electrons....
s in the same molecule
Molecule

In chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable, electric charge neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by very strong chemical bonds....
 have different electronegativity
Electronegativity

Electronegativity, symbol χ, is a chemical property that describes the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a covalent bond....
. As a result, the electrons in the bond are not shared equally by the two atoms. This causes an asymmetrical (polar) electric field. Molecular covalent bond
Covalent bond

A covalent bond is a form of chemical bonding that is characterized by the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms, or between atoms and other covalent bonds....
s can be described as polar or nonpolar.






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Encyclopedia


In physics
Physics

Physics is the natural science which examines basic concepts such as energy, force, and spacetime and all that derives from these, such as mass, charge, matter and its Motion ....
, polarity is a description of an attribute, typically a binary attribute (one with two values), or a vector
Vector

Vector may refer to:...
 (a direction). For example:

  • An electric charge
    Electric charge

    Electric charge is a fundamental conserved property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interaction. Electrically charged matter is influenced by, and produces, electromagnetic fields....
     has a polarity of either positive or negative.
  • A voltage
    Voltage

    Electrical tension is the potential difference between two points of an electrical or electronic circuit, expressed in volts. It is the measurement of the potential for an electric field to cause an electric current in an electrical conductor....
     has a polarity, in that it could be positive or negative (with respect to some other voltage, such as the one at the other end of a battery
    Battery (electricity)

    In electronics, a battery or voltaic cell is a combination of one or more electrochemical cell Galvanic cells which store chemical energy that can be converted into electric potential energy, creating electricity....
     or electric circuit).
  • A magnet
    Magnet

    A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials and attracts or repels other magnets....
     has a polarity, in that one end is the "north" and the other is the "south".
  • The spin
    Spin (physics)

    In quantum mechanics, spin is a fundamental property of atomic nucleus, hadrons, and elementary particles. For particles with non-zero spin, spin direction is an important intrinsic degrees of freedom ....
     of an entity in quantum mechanics
    Quantum mechanics

    Quantum mechanics is a set of principles underlying the most fundamental known description of all physical systems at the microscopic scale . Notable amongst these principles are both a dual wave-like and particle-like behavior of matter and radiation, and prediction of probabilities in situations where classical physics predicts certaintie...
     has a polarity - positive or negative.
  • Polarized light has waves which all line up in the same direction.


Chemical polarity
Chemical polarity

In chemistry, polarity refers to the dipole-dipole intermolecular forces between the slightly electric charge end of one molecule to the negative end of another or the same molecule....
 is a feature of chemical bond
Chemical bond

A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between atoms and molecules, and that which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic chemical compounds....
s, where two different atom
Atom

|-! bgcolor=gray | Properties|-||}The atom is a basic unit of matter consisting of a dense, central atomic nucleus surrounded by a electron cloud of electric charge electrons....
s in the same molecule
Molecule

In chemistry, a molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable, electric charge neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by very strong chemical bonds....
 have different electronegativity
Electronegativity

Electronegativity, symbol χ, is a chemical property that describes the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a covalent bond....
. As a result, the electrons in the bond are not shared equally by the two atoms. This causes an asymmetrical (polar) electric field. Molecular covalent bond
Covalent bond

A covalent bond is a form of chemical bonding that is characterized by the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms, or between atoms and other covalent bonds....
s can be described as polar or nonpolar. Entire molecules can also be described as polar.

See also

  • In phase
  • Phase cancellation
  • Phase difference