hyperfine structure

[ hahy-per-fahyn, hahy- ]

nounPhysics.
  1. the splitting of the lines of an atomic spectrum, produced by the angular momentum of the nucleus of the atom.

Origin of hyperfine structure

1
First recorded in 1925–30; hyper- + fine1

Words Nearby hyperfine structure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for hyperfine structure

hyperfine structure

/ (ˈhaɪpəˌfaɪn) /


noun
  1. the splitting of a spectral line of an atom or molecule into two or more closely spaced components as a result of interaction of the electrons with the magnetic moments of the nuclei: Compare fine structure See also Zeeman effect

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