Lorentzian

adjective

Lo·​rentz·​ian
(ˌ)lōˈrentsēən,
(ˌ)lȯˈ-
: of, relating to, or being a function that relates the intensity of radiation emitted by an atom at a given frequency to the peak radiation intensity, that gives the distribution of the frequencies emitted, that resembles a normal curve but builds up and drops off more gradually, and that has the form I(ν) = I0 (γ/2π) / ((ν - ν0)2 + (γ/2)2) where I is the radiation intensity, ν is the frequency, I0 is the peak intensity, γ is the width of the distribution, and ν0 is the frequency of peak intensity

Word History

Etymology

H.A. Lorentz + English -ian

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Cite this Entry

“Lorentzian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Lorentzian. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

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