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ground state

noun

, Physics.
  1. the state of least energy of a particle, as an atom, or of a system of particles.


ground state

noun

  1. the lowest energy state of an atom, molecule, particle, etc Compare excited
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


ground state

  1. The state of a physical system having the lowest possible potential energy. For example, an electron in the lowest energy orbital in a hydrogen atom is in a ground state. The ground state of a physical system tends to be stable unless energy is applied to it from the outside; states that are not the ground state have a tendency to revert to the ground state, giving off energy in the process.
  2. Compare excited state


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Word History and Origins

Origin of ground state1

First recorded in 1925–30
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Compare Meanings

How does ground state compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

On this ground State and Federal authority must, they thought, come in conflict.

The seeds are said to be good for pigeons, or mixed in a ground state with potatoes or barley for fattening pigs.

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