Word Porn: Science that sounds like poetry

Luminiferous Aether

lu·mi·nif·er·ous e·ther
adjective + noun
In the late 19th century, luminiferous aether or ether, meaning light-bearing aether, was the term used to describe a medium for the propagation of light.

 

Passive Margin

pas·sive mar·gin
noun(?)
A passive margin is the transition between oceanic and continental lithosphere which is not an active plate margin. It is constructed by sedimentation above an ancient rift, now marked by transitional lithosphere. Continental rifting creates new ocean basins.

 

Probability Amplitude

prob·a·bil·i·ty  am·pli·tude
noun(?)
In quantum mechanics, a probability amplitude is a complex number used in describing the behaviour of systems. The modulus squared of this quantity represents a probability or probability density.

 

Consonance

con·so·nance

noun

agreement or compatibility between opinions or actions.

  –

the recurrence of similar sounds, especially consonants, in close proximity (chiefly as used in prosody).

  –

the combination of notes that are in harmony with each other due to the relationship between their frequencies.

 –

plural noun: consonances

 

Lithosphere

lith·o·sphere
noun
the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

 

Resonation

(okay, I conjugated this one out of thin air)

res·o·na·tion
noun
The act of resonating.

 

Entanglement

en·tan·gle·ment
noun
Quantum entanglement is a physical phenomenon that occurs when pairs or groups of particles are generated or interact in ways such that the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently – instead, a quantum state may be given for the system as a whole.

 

Osmium

os·mi·um

noun

the chemical element of atomic number 76, a hard, dense silvery-white metal of the transition series.

symbol: Os

 

Uncertainty Principle

un·cer·tain·ty prin·ci·ple

noun

the principle that the momentum and position of a particle cannot both be precisely determined at the same time.

 

Spectral Decomposition

spec·tral de·com·po·si·tion

noun(?)
“Spectral Decomposition unravels the seismic signal into its constituent frequencies, which allows the user to see phase and amplitude tuned to specific wavelengths. The amplitude component excels at quantifying thickness variability and detecting lateral discontinuities while the phase component detects lateral discontinuities.” (OpendTect.org)

 

Equivalence principle

e·quiv·a·lence prin·ci·ple

noun

a basic postulate of general relativity, stating that at any point of space-time the effects of a gravitational field cannot be experimentally distinguished from those due to an accelerated frame of reference.

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