Dictionary > Polar

Polar

Definition
adjective
(general) Of, or having one or more poles (in a spherical body); being in opposite extremes.
(chemistry) Pertaining to a compound exhibiting polarity or dipole moment, that is a compound bearing a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other.
(mathematics) Of a coordinate system, specifying the location of a point in a plane by using a radius and an angle.
(pathology) Characterized by having opposite ends of a spectrum of symptoms or manifestations, as in polar types of leprosy
Supplement
Sugar, such as sucrose, is an example of polar molecule. Its structure has oxygen-hydrogen (-OH) groups.
Water is also a polar molecule for having both negative and positive poles.
Word origin: from Late Latin polāris.
Related forms: polarity (noun”).

Related terms:

Compare: nonpolar.

See also: polar solvents.


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