polarizability
/ˌpoʊlərˌaɪzəˈbɪləti/
noun
- The ability of a molecule or atom to have its electron cloud distorted by an electric field, affecting how it interacts with other molecules.
- Chemists measure polarizability to predict how substances will dissolve.
- The polarizability of a gas affects how it behaves in an electric field.
- High polarizability makes some materials good insulators.