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dichroism

dichroism

9.9
A property of a material that shows two colors from different directions
  • noun
  • /daɪˈkroʊɪzəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dicroísmo
  • Look at the dichroism!
  • circular dichroism

Examples

  • Scientists studied the dichroism in the crystal to determine its optical axis.

  • Polaroid sunglasses work by exploiting the dichroism of certain materials.

  • The mineral exhibits dichroism, appearing green from one angle and brown from another.

  • The crystal exhibits dichroism under polarized light.

  • In optical studies, dichroism can reveal how certain crystals change color when light passes through them from different angles.

  • The mineral exhibits dichroism, showing a vivid blue hue from one perspective and a deep purple from another.

  • Scientists observed dichroism in the sample, noting the distinct color variations when rotated under polarized light.

Synonyms

pleochroism
vsdichroism
  • Specialized
9.9

Different colors appear in some crystals when you look at them from different directions

limits the phenomenon to exactly two different colors rather than more

Surface Forms

dichroism singular
dichroisms plural

Morphology

dichroism = dichroic (semi-transparent) = di + chro + ism

The suffix '-ism' indicates a property or condition, but the specific scientific meaning requires specialized knowledge.

Etymology

Dichroism comes from Greek parts di- 'two' and chroma 'color', the same root you see in chrome and chromatic. So, it literally means 'two colors', which is why a dichroic material looks like different colors when you view it from different directions.