parahydrogen

[ par-uh-hahy-druh-juh n ]
/ ˌpær əˈhaɪ drə dʒən /

noun Physics, Chemistry.

the form of molecular hydrogen in which the nuclei of the two hydrogen atoms contained in the molecule have spins in opposite directions.
Compare orthohydrogen.

Origin of parahydrogen

First recorded in 1925–30; para-1 + hydrogen

Words nearby parahydrogen

paraguay tea, paraguayan, parahemophilia, parahippocampal gyrus, parahormone, parahydrogen, parainfluenza, parainfluenza 1 virus, parainfluenza 2 virus, parainfluenza 3 virus, parainfluenza 4 virus

Example sentences from the Web for parahydrogen

  • If they are oriented in opposite directions, it is parahydrogen.

    Unwise Child |Gordon Randall Garrett

British Dictionary definitions for parahydrogen

parahydrogen
/ (ˌpærəˈhaɪdrədʒən) /

noun

chem the form of molecular hydrogen (constituting about 25 per cent of the total at normal temperatures) in which the nuclei of the two atoms in each molecule spin in opposite directions Compare orthohydrogen