piezoelectric effect also occurs in piezoelectric materials and
involves the material oscillating due to an applied electric field.
Pi bonding (or π-bonding): Bond resulting from the overlap of atomic
orbitals that are in contact through two areas of overlap above and
below the internuclear axis. For example, in sp
2 hybridized
carbon atoms, the unhybridized 2p orbitals on neighboring
carbons overlap to form the π-bond.
Pi−pi stacking (or π–π stacking): Packing of large, often aromatic
molecules whereby favorable overlap across pi systems of different molecules occurs.
Plasma oscillations: Rapid oscillations of the electron density in a conducting medium (e.g., a metal).
Plasmon: The smallest unit of plasma oscillations; used for quantization.
Poisson–Boltzmann equation: Calculates the actual distribution of the
counterions at equilibrium.
Polar molecule: A molecule with a nonzero dipole moment. Water, HCl,
and acetonitrile are examples of polar molecules.
Polarizability: Defined as the susceptibility of an atom or molecule’s
electron cloud to distortion by an external electric field.
Poling: Orientation of polar molecules or polar moieties in a macromolecule/polymer using an externally applied electric field. Can
also refer to orientation of magnetic materials using an externally
applied magnetic field.
Polyelectrolyte: Polyelectrolytes are polymers, or chains of molecules,
which contain free ions that make them electrically conductive.
Soluble in water, polyelectrolytes become charged when in
solution and are often countered by a salt ion of opposite charge.
The amount of charge on a polyelectrolyte determines whether it
is classified as strong or weak. Strong polyelectrolytes are fully
soluble, whereas weak polyelectrolytes, with fractional charge, are
only partially soluble.
Polymer cushioned phospholipid bilayers: Allow bilayers to effectively
be decoupled from the surface by minimizing interactions with
the underlying substrate.
Glossary
451
involves the material oscillating due to an applied electric field.
Pi bonding (or π-bonding): Bond resulting from the overlap of atomic
orbitals that are in contact through two areas of overlap above and
below the internuclear axis. For example, in sp
2 hybridized
carbon atoms, the unhybridized 2p orbitals on neighboring
carbons overlap to form the π-bond.
Pi−pi stacking (or π–π stacking): Packing of large, often aromatic
molecules whereby favorable overlap across pi systems of different molecules occurs.
Plasma oscillations: Rapid oscillations of the electron density in a conducting medium (e.g., a metal).
Plasmon: The smallest unit of plasma oscillations; used for quantization.
Poisson–Boltzmann equation: Calculates the actual distribution of the
counterions at equilibrium.
Polar molecule: A molecule with a nonzero dipole moment. Water, HCl,
and acetonitrile are examples of polar molecules.
Polarizability: Defined as the susceptibility of an atom or molecule’s
electron cloud to distortion by an external electric field.
Poling: Orientation of polar molecules or polar moieties in a macromolecule/polymer using an externally applied electric field. Can
also refer to orientation of magnetic materials using an externally
applied magnetic field.
Polyelectrolyte: Polyelectrolytes are polymers, or chains of molecules,
which contain free ions that make them electrically conductive.
Soluble in water, polyelectrolytes become charged when in
solution and are often countered by a salt ion of opposite charge.
The amount of charge on a polyelectrolyte determines whether it
is classified as strong or weak. Strong polyelectrolytes are fully
soluble, whereas weak polyelectrolytes, with fractional charge, are
only partially soluble.
Polymer cushioned phospholipid bilayers: Allow bilayers to effectively
be decoupled from the surface by minimizing interactions with
the underlying substrate.
Glossary
451