Polarization or polarisation may refer to:
Mathematics
*Polarization of an
Abelian variety
In mathematics, particularly in algebraic geometry, complex analysis and algebraic number theory, an abelian variety is a smooth Algebraic variety#Projective variety, projective algebraic variety that is also an algebraic group, i.e., has a group ...
, in the mathematics of complex manifolds
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Polarization of an algebraic form
In mathematics, in particular in algebra, polarization is a technique for expressing a homogeneous polynomial in a simpler fashion by adjoining more variables. Specifically, given a homogeneous polynomial, polarization produces a unique symmetric ...
, a technique for expressing a homogeneous polynomial in a simpler fashion by adjoining more variables
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Polarization identity, expresses an inner product in terms of its associated norm
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Polarization (Lie algebra)
Physical sciences
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Polarization (physics)
, or , is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave. One example of a polariz ...
, the ability of waves to oscillate in more than one direction; polarization of light allows the glare-reducing effect of polarized sunglasses
**
Polarization (antenna)
In radio-frequency engineering, an antenna (American English) or aerial (British English) is an electronic device that converts an alternating electric current into radio waves (transmitting), or radio waves into an electric current (receivi ...
, the state of polarization (in the above sense) of electromagnetic waves transmitted by or received by a radio antenna
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Dielectric polarization, charge separation in insulating materials:
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Polarization density
In classical electromagnetism, polarization density (or electric polarization, or simply polarization) is the vector field that expresses the volumetric density of permanent or induced electric dipole moments in a dielectric material. When a die ...
, volume dielectric polarization
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Dipolar polarization, orientation of permanent dipoles
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Ionic polarization, displacement of ions in a crystal
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Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars polarization In dielectric spectroscopy, large frequency dependent contributions to the dielectric response, especially at low frequencies, may come from build-ups of charge. This Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars polarization (or often just Maxwell–Wagner polarizat ...
, slow long-distance charge separation in dielectric spectroscopy on inhomogeneous soft matter
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Polarization (electrochemistry), a change in the equilibrium potential of an electrochemical reaction
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Concentration polarization, the shift of the electrochemical potential difference across an electrochemical cell from its equilibrium value
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Spin polarization
In particle physics, spin polarization is the degree to which the spin, i.e., the intrinsic angular momentum of elementary particles, is aligned with a given direction. This property may pertain to the spin, hence to the magnetic moment, of co ...
, the degree by which the spin of elementary particles is aligned to a given direction
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Polarizability
Polarizability usually refers to the tendency of matter, when subjected to an electric field, to acquire an electric dipole moment in proportion to that applied field. It is a property of particles with an electric charge. When subject to an elect ...
, an electrical property of atoms or molecules and a separate magnetic property of subatomic particles
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Polarization function, a feature of some molecular modelling methods
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Photon polarization, the mathematical link between wave polarization and spin polarization
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Vacuum polarization
In quantum field theory, and specifically quantum electrodynamics, vacuum polarization describes a process in which a background electromagnetic field produces virtual electron–positron pairs that change the distribution of charges and curr ...
, a process in which a background electromagnetic field produces virtual electron-positron pairs
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Polarization (cosmology), mechanisms for detecting astronomical polarization and the possible natural origins
Social sciences
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Polarization (economics), faster decrease of moderate-skill jobs relative to low-skill and high-skill jobs
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Political polarization
Political polarization (spelled ''polarisation'' in British English, Australian English, and New Zealand English) is the divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes. Scholars distinguish between ideologi ...
, when public opinion divides and becomes oppositional
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Bipolarisation
Bipolarisation or bipolarization (American English) in politics, is a state where forces are organized around two rival powers, neither of which can dominate the other. Its application as a model for international relations has given rise to dive ...
, two sides of opposition
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Social polarization
Social polarization is the segregation within a society that emerges when factors such as income inequality, real-estate fluctuations and economic displacement result in the differentiation of social groups from high-income to low-income. It is a ...
, segregation of society into social groups, from high-income to low-income
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Group polarization
In social psychology, group polarization refers to the tendency for a group to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members. These more extreme decisions are towards greater risk if individuals' initial tendenci ...
, tendency of a group to make more extreme decisions than individuals' initial inclinations
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Attitude polarization
In social psychology, group polarization refers to the tendency for a group to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members. These more extreme decisions are towards greater risk if individuals' initial tendenci ...
, when disagreement becomes more extreme as different parties consider evidence
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Racial polarization
Racial polarization is the process whereby a population of individuals with different ancestry is divided into separate and distinct racial groups.
Bermuda
In Bermuda, around 55% of the population is identified as black, followed by 34% white (f ...
, when a population with varying ancestry is divided into distinct racial groups
Others
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''Polarization'' (album), an album by American jazz trombonist and composer Julian Priester
*Polarization, in many disciplines, is a tendency to be located close to one of the opposite ends of a
continuum
See also
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Polar (disambiguation)
Polar may refer to:
Geography
* Geographical pole, either of the two points on Earth where its axis of rotation intersects its surface
** Polar climate, the climate common in polar regions
** Polar regions of Earth, locations within the polar circ ...
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Polar opposite (disambiguation)
A polar opposite is the diametrically opposite point of a circle or sphere. It is mathematically known as an antipodal point, or antipode when referring to the Earth. It is also an idiom often used to describe binary oppositions.
Polar Opposite ...
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Polarity (disambiguation)
Polarity may refer to:
Science
* Electrical polarity, direction of electrical current
*Polarity (mutual inductance), the relationship between components such as transformer windings
*Polarity (projective geometry), in mathematics, a duality of ord ...
*
Pole (disambiguation)
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Reversal (disambiguation)
Reversal often refers to:
* Reversal (law), when the decision of a court of appeal is that the judgment of a lower court was incorrect
* Reversal (wrestling), an action in which a defender achieves an offensive position
Reversal may also refer ...
*
Depolarization (disambiguation)
{{Disambiguation