Anisotropy

<p>Anisotropy  is the structural property of non-uniformity in different directions, as opposed to <a href="/facts/Isotropy/mc3QEY2x">isotropy</a>. An anisotropic object or pattern has properties that differ according to direction of measurement. For example, many materials exhibit very different <a href="/facts/Physical_property/ujcMUceW">physical</a> or <a href="/facts/List_of_materials_properties/Cg2LVoQe">mechanical properties</a> when measured along different axes, e.g. <a href="/facts/Absorbance/Rnv6VMX1">absorbance</a>, <a href="/facts/Refractive_index/yjkzvgeE">refractive index</a>, <a href="/facts/Electrical_resistivity_and_conductivity/akyCKvMy">conductivity</a>, and <a href="/facts/Tensile_strength/Cv2jPplR">tensile strength</a>.
</p><p>An example of anisotropy is light coming through a <a href="/facts/Polarizer/kPDwyboP">polarizer</a>. Another is <a href="/facts/Wood/z13NpHPl">wood</a>, which is easier to split along its <a href="/facts/Wood_grain/yyPhv8oP">grain</a> than across it because of the directional non-uniformity of the grain (the grain is the same in one direction, not all directions).
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Anisotropy open-in-new

Anisotropy