Polarity vs. Polarization — What's the Difference?

Opposite directions in electrical wiring.

Enhancement of electrical or magnetic polarization.

A division into two opposite groups.

Increasing the alignment of orientations within a physical system.

Inherent opposition within a system.

Social or political division becoming more extreme.

Presence of north and south poles in magnets.

The act of causing a group to adopt extreme positions.

The characteristic of having two distinct poles.

The process of dividing into opposing factions.

Intrinsic polar separation, alignment, or orientation, especially of a physical property

A process or state in which rays of light exhibit different properties in different directions, especially the state in which all the vibration takes place in one plane.

An indicated polar extreme

The partial or complete polar separation of the positive and negative electric charges in a nuclear, atomic, molecular, or chemical system.

The possession or manifestation of two opposing attributes, tendencies, or principles

A division into two conflicting or contrasting groups.

The separation, alignment or orientation of something into two opposed poles.

The production or the condition of polarity

Either of the two extremes of such attributes.

(physics) the production of polarized light; the direction in which the electric field of an electromagnetic wave points

(chemistry) The dipole-dipole intermolecular forces between the slightly positively-charged end of one molecule to the negative end of another or the same molecule. ^Wp

The separation of positive and negative charges in a nucleus, atom, molecule or system

(embryology) The division of an embryo into an animal pole and a vegetal pole within a blastula. ^Wp

The grouping of opinions into two extremes

(microbiology) Spatial differences in shape, structure, and function within a cell. ^Wp

The act of polarizing; the state of being polarized, or of having polarity.

(electricity) A measure of the electrical potential at the ends of a circuit. ^Wp

A peculiar affection or condition of the rays of light or heat, in consequence of which they exhibit different properties in different directions.

(physics) The direction of a wave's amplitude or its being in phase or antiphase.

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.

(grammar) The grammatical category of the affirmative and the negative. ^Wp

The phenomenon in which waves of light or other radiation are restricted in direction of vibration

A duality that is an involution, i.e. has order two. ^Wp

The condition of having or giving polarity

(mathematics) An indicator of the positivity or negativity of a literal. ^Wp

(politics) Any of the various ways in which power is distributed within the international system. ^Wp

(gender) The concept of dualism between masculine and feminine. ^Wp

(physics) magnetic polarity

(geometry) trilinear polarity

That quality or condition of a body in virtue of which it exhibits opposite, or contrasted, properties or powers, in opposite, or contrasted, parts or directions; or a condition giving rise to a contrast of properties corresponding to a contrast of positions, as, for example, attraction and repulsion in the opposite parts of a magnet, the dissimilar phenomena corresponding to the different sides of a polarized ray of light, etc.

A relation between two opposite attributes or tendencies;

Having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges);

In chemistry, polarity of molecules dictates how they interact with each other and with solvents, affecting solubility and reactivity.

Factors like media influence, divisive rhetoric, and lack of dialogue contribute to social polarization.

Yes, polarity can exist as a static characteristic without any active process of polarization.

While challenging, social polarization can be reversed through dialogue, mediation, and efforts to find common ground.

Polarity can be understood as the presence of two opposite characteristics or orientations within a system.

Polarity is the presence of intrinsic opposites within a system, whereas polarization is the process that intensifies the division between these opposites.

Polarization often exacerbates divisions, leading to more distinctly opposed groups within political discourse.

Everyday examples of polarity include the north and south poles on Earth and the positive and negative ends of a battery.

In some cases, like light polarization, the effects can be observed directly; in social contexts, it's more inferred from behavior.

No, polarization can occur in any setting where there are divisions, including social, cultural, and scientific fields.

Polarization can filter or modify light, affecting its direction and the way it is perceived, as seen in polarized sunglasses.

In science, particularly physics, polarization can influence the properties and behaviors of light and other waves.

Polarity affects interactions by determining the electromagnetic attractions between molecules, crucial for chemical reactions.

Long-term consequences can include decreased social cohesion, increased conflict, and challenges in governance and policy-making.