How Do You Spell FERROELECTRICITY?

1. Ferroelectricity is a property possessed by certain materials to exhibit spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by the application of an external electric field. It is a subcategory of piezoelectricity, where electric displacement also occurs upon mechanical stress. The term ferroelectricity is derived from the Latin word "ferro," meaning iron, as it was first observed in ferroelectric crystals, specifically Rochelle salt, that exhibited spontaneous electric polarization.

   Ferroelectric materials are characterized by having a non-centrosymmetric crystal structure, which lacks inversion symmetry. This asymmetry allows for alignment of electric dipoles within the material, resulting in a net electric polarization. Unlike traditional dielectrics, which only possess temporary polarization induced by an electric field, ferroelectric materials retain their polarization even after the field is removed.

   One of the key features of ferroelectric materials is their hysteresis behavior, where the polarization-versus-electric field curve is looped or hysteretic. This property enables the use of ferroelectric materials in various applications, such as non-volatile memory storage, actuators, transducers, and sensors. The ability to switch the polarization state by applying an electric field and their rapid response time make ferroelectric materials ideal candidates for technological advancements in electronics and information storage.

   Overall, ferroelectricity refers to the intrinsic property of certain materials to possess spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by an external electric field, specifically those with non-centrosymmetric crystal structures.

Common Misspellings for FERROELECTRICITY

The word "ferroelectricity" stems from the combination of two parts: "ferro" and "electricity".

The prefix "ferro-" originates from the Latin word "ferrum", meaning "iron". In the context of "ferroelectricity", it does not refer to iron specifically but is rather a general prefix that signifies a resemblance or connection to iron-like properties.

The term "electricity" comes from the Latin word "electricus", which refers to the phenomenon of amber attracting lightweight objects when rubbed. The word evolved to describe the broader concept of electrical phenomena and the flow of electric charge.

When these two parts are combined, "ferroelectricity" represents the property observed in certain materials that exhibit spontaneous electric polarization, similar to the way in which iron exhibits magnetic properties.

Plural form of FERROELECTRICITY is FERROELECTRICITIES