Polarizar

Polarizar is a verb in Spanish and Portuguese meaning to cause polarization or to become polarized. In scientific and everyday usage, it can refer to physical polarization of waves or fields, chemical polarization of bonds, and the social or political polarization of opinions. The word derives from Latin polaris, via French polariser or the corresponding Spanish and Portuguese forms.

In physics and optics, polarization describes the orientation of oscillations in a wave or field. Polarizing light means constraining the electric field vector to a preferred direction, as with polarizing filters, crystals, or reflecting surfaces. Dielectrics also become polarized when placed in an electric field, producing induced dipoles and storing energy.

In chemistry and materials science, polarization refers to the distribution of electrical charge within molecules or bonds. Bond polarization arises from electronegativity differences, creating dipole moments. Solvent polarity affects solvation, reactivity, and phase behavior.

In electronics and engineering, polarization describes the formation of internal electric fields in devices under bias. Examples include dielectric polarization in capacitors and the effect of bias on semiconductor junctions, which changes current flow and device performance.

In social and political contexts, polarization denotes increasing ideological distance between groups, leading to stronger partisanship and fewer cross-cutting interactions. Polarization can influence voting behavior, public discourse, and policy outcomes, and is studied with surveys, voting data, and social-network analyses.