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polarity

polarity

17 6.8
Opposite electrical or magnetic ends, like positive and negative
  • noun
  • /pəˈlærɪti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : polaridad
  • The cycles of the moon have been proven to affect the tides, magnetic polarity and human behavior.
  • reverse polarity
  • magnetic polarity
  • opposite polarity

These LEDs right here are from an Arduino kit because I need to figure out the polarity of the ones that we had.

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Examples

  • If the two plates are given the same polarity charge, they will electrostatically repel each other.

    Academic text (2000)
  • A number of experiments were carried out to prove the polarity effect on hydrolysis.

    Academic text (2001)
  • As soon as you measure polarity on one, the other one turns out to have exactly the same polarity.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Down here, the polarity is reversed.

  • In the United States, electricity changes its polarity 60 times per second.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Now, thanks to polarity or partial charges, water has a tendency to stick to itself.

  • The direction of the movement in relation to the polarity of the magnetic fields makes the current either positive or negative.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The result is a field that has two lobes of opposite polarity on opposite sides of the comet.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The accelerometer is ground-isolated and is available with an optional positive polarity output.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The scientist explained that polarity refers to the distinct positive and negative charges in an electric circuit.

Synonyms

polarization
vspolarity
  • Specialized
2 6.8

A material that has one side positive and the other negative

is the property itself rather than the process of gaining opposite poles
bipolarity
vspolarity
  • Specialized
7.7

A thing that has two opposite electric or magnetic poles

is the broader property of opposite poles rather than naming exactly two

Antonyms

uniformity
  • Specialized
18 4.6

The state of being the same in all parts

How Polar

ionic
  • Specialized
8 5.0
polarity
  • Specialized
17 6.8
nonpolarity
  • Specialized
9.1

Surface Forms

polarity singular
polarities plural

Morphology

polarity = polar (transparent) = polar + ity

Denotes the physical property of having poles (e.g., positive/negative), a direct nominalization of 'polar'.

Etymology

Polarity comes from the root pole, a word for an 'end' or 'side', and was used for the two ends of magnets and batteries like north and south. So electrical polarity means having opposite ends such as 'positive' and 'negative'.