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the condition of having or giving polarity

the condition of having or giving polarity

An effect produced upon the plates of a voltaic battery, or the electrodes in an electrolytic cell, by the deposition upon them of the gases liberated by the action of the current. It is chiefly due to the hydrogen, and results in an increase of the resistance, and the setting up of an opposing electro-motive force, both of which tend materially to weaken the current of the battery, or that passing through the cell.

An effect produced upon the plates of a voltaic battery, or the electrodes in an electrolytic cell, by the deposition upon them of the gases liberated by the action of the current. It is chiefly due to the hydrogen, and results in an increase of the resistance, and the setting up of an opposing electro-motive force, both of which tend materially to weaken the current of the battery, or that passing through the cell.

1. In electricity, the coating of the copper plate of an electric cell with a thick layer of hydrogen bubbles, with the result that the action of the battery is weakened or arrested. 2. A change effected in a ray of light passing through certain media, whereby the transverse vibrations occur in one plane only, instead of in all planes as in the ordinary light ray.

(opt.) A particular modification of rays of light, by the action of certain media or surfaces, so that they cannot be reflected or refracted again in certain directions: state of having polarity.

The act of giving polarity to a body; the state of being polarized. Polarization of light, a change produced upon light under the action of certain media, by which it exhibits the appearance of having polarity, or poles possessing different properties.

The production of that condition in light by virtue of which its vibrations take place all in one plane, or else in circles and ellipses.

In optics, the induction of a peculiar condition by virtue of which a ray of light, instead of vibrating as usual in all planes transverse to its line of propagation, vibrates in one plane only (plane of p.). P. may be induced by reflection from surfaces placed at a special angle (angle of p.), or by transmission through certain media, the doubly refractive crystals especially.

Of a galvanic battery, the collection of bubbles of hydrogen on the negative plate, and oxygen on the positive plate, whereby the generation of the current is interfered with.