Dipole

Dipole

Dipole (/ˈdaɪpoʊl/) is a term used in various fields of science, including physics, chemistry, and biology. It refers to a pair of electric charges or magnetic poles of equal magnitude but opposite sign, separated by some distance.

Etymology

The term "dipole" originates from the Greek words "di," meaning "two," and "polos," meaning "axis." It was first used in the context of magnetism, where it describes a magnetic field with two poles, north and south.

In Physics

In physics, a dipole is a system which has a pair of equal and opposite point charges. An electric dipole is a separation of positive and negative charges. The simplest example of this is a pair of electric charges of equal magnitude but opposite sign, separated by some distance. A magnetic dipole is the limit of either a closed loop of electric current or a pair of poles as the dimensions of the source are reduced to zero while keeping the moment constant.

In Chemistry

In chemistry, a dipole refers to the separation of charge within a molecule between two covalently bonded atoms. Here, the dipole moment measures the polarity of a chemical bond within a molecule, such as in water, ammonia, or hydrogen fluoride.

In Biology

In biology, dipoles can be found in cell membranes. The phospholipid bilayer has a polar head and a nonpolar tail, forming a dipole. The polarity of water molecules and their ability to form hydrogen bonds with other water molecules is central to the dipole nature of water.

Related Terms

• Dipole Moment
• Electric Dipole
• Magnetic Dipole
• Chemical Bond
• Polarity (chemistry)
• Phospholipid Bilayer

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Dipole
• Wikipedia's article - Dipole

This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski