Axial ratio, for any structure or shape with two or more axes, is the
ratio
In mathematics, a ratio () shows how many times one number contains another. For example, if there are eight oranges and six lemons in a bowl of fruit, then the ratio of oranges to lemons is eight to six (that is, 8:6, which is equivalent to the ...
of the length (or magnitude) of those axes to each other - the longer axis divided by the shorter.
In ''chemistry'' or ''materials science'', the axial ratio (symbol P) is used to describe rigid rod-like
molecule
A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by Force, attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemi ...
s. It is defined as the length of the rod divided by the rod diameter.
In ''physics'', the axial ratio describes
electromagnetic radiation
In physics, electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is a self-propagating wave of the electromagnetic field that carries momentum and radiant energy through space. It encompasses a broad spectrum, classified by frequency or its inverse, wavelength ...
with elliptical, or circular,
polarization. The
axial ratio is the ratio of the magnitudes of the major and minor axis defined by the
electric field vector.
See also
*
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a geometry, geometric shape is the ratio of its sizes in different dimensions. For example, the aspect ratio of a rectangle is the ratio of its longer side to its shorter side—the ratio of width to height, when the rectangl ...
*
Degree of polarization
, or , is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave. One example of a polarize ...
References
Ratios
Polymer physics
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