dipole moment

American  

noun

1. electric dipole moment.

2. magnetic moment.

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dipole moment British  

noun

1.  μ.  chem a measure of the polarity in a chemical bond or molecule, equal to the product of one charge and the distance between the charges

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dipole moment Scientific  

1. The product of the strength of either of the charges in an electric dipole and the distance separating the two charges. It is expressed in coulomb meters. Dipole moment is a vector quantity; its direction is defined as toward the positive charge.

2. The product of the strength of either of the poles in an magnetic dipole and the distance separating the two poles. Dipole moment is a vector quantity; its direction is defined as toward the magnetic north pole. Since magnetic monopoles apparently do not exist, the magnetic moment is usually calculated by analysis of the flow of electric current inducing the magnetic field.

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Etymology

Origin of dipole moment

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

The PQ symmetry addresses the strong CP problem, which asks why experiments fail to detect the tiny electric dipole moment that theory predicts for the neutron.

From Science Daily • Dec. 7, 2025

The material exhibits displacive-type ferroelectric behavior, where the displacement of ions during the phase transition leads to the creation of a permanent dipole moment within the material.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024

The difference between HD+ and H2+ is that HD+ has an electric dipole moment, which H2+ lacks.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2024

Write the Lewis structure for acetonitrile, and indicate the direction of the dipole moment in the molecule.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Have a molecular structure such that the sum of the vectors of each bond dipole moment does not cancel.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019