Molecular Refractivity and Polarizability

TLDR: In this article, molecular refractivity and polarizability of a particle is defined as the dipole moment induced by an electric field of unit intensity, and the principal polarizabilities of molecules can be analyzed in terms of anisotropic bond polarisation.

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses molecular refractivity and polarizability. Refractive indices ( n ) of pure substances are more accurately measurable than any other optical properties. The refractive index of a substance varies with its physical state, temperature t , and wave-length λ of the light by which n is observed. The first two of these effects are attributed to the density d . The specific refraction r of a substance multiplied by the molecular weight is referred as molecular refraction. Polarizability of a particle is defined as the dipole moment induced by an electric field of unit intensity. The polarizabilities of monatomic ions and molecules are generally independent of field direction. The principal polarizabilities of molecules can be analyzed in terms of anisotropic bond polarizabilities. Polarizabilities are also responsible for the birefringence, which appears whenever the orientations of anisotropic molecules in an assemblage are derandomized or changed by any disturbing force.