Dipole

/ˈdaɪpoʊl/ noun

Definition

A pair of equal and opposite electric charges or magnetic poles separated by a distance, creating two poles.

Etymology

From di- (two) + pole, from Latin polus meaning the end of an axis. The term was coined in the late 19th century to describe configurations in electricity and magnetism where opposite forces are separated in space.

Kelly Says

Your water molecules are literally tiny dipoles—the oxygen atom pulls electrons away from hydrogen atoms, making one end slightly negative and the other positive. This tiny imbalance is why water behaves so unusually and why life depends on it!

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