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These forms of energy can ionize, or charge, low layers of the planet’s ionosphere on the sun-facing side.—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025 But ultraviolet radiation changed the cloud itself in the process, knocking electrons off atoms and giving the gas an electric charge (or ionizing it, as physicists would say).—Kiona N. Smith, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2025 Importantly, in the ancient atmosphere sample, sprays of water alone were enough to ionize the air and trigger the formation of organic molecules with carbon-nitrogen bonds, such as hydrogen cyanide, glycine and uracil.—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 17 Mar. 2025 Where appropriate, clinicians may also consider alternative imaging methods that do not involve ionizing radiation, such as MRI or ultrasound – especially for younger patients or when repeat imaging is anticipated.—New Atlas, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ionize
Word History
Etymology
ion + -ize, after German ionisiren (now ionisieren) or French ioniser
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