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- Dictionaryrarefaction/ˌrɛːrɪˈfakʃn/
noun
- 1. reduction in the density of something, especially air or a gas: "opposed processes such as rarefaction and condensation"
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Rarefaction is the action or process of rarefying, or making something less dense or concentrated. It can also refer to a state of minimum pressure in a medium, or a quality or state of being rarefied.
Rarefaction is the reduction of an item's density, the opposite of compression. Like compression, which can travel in waves (sound waves, for instance), rarefaction waves also exist in nature. A common rarefaction wave is the area of low relative pressure following a shock wave (see picture).
Rarefaction definition: the act or process of rarefying. . See examples of RAREFACTION used in a sentence.
Rarefaction is a segment of one cycle of a longitudinal wave during its travel or motion, when the pressure is reduced. Learn how rarefaction occurs in sound, seismic waves, and other phenomena with Britannica's articles and models.
A decrease in the density of something is rarefaction. As you climb a mountain, you experience rarefaction of the air; the air becomes less dense the higher up you go. Most of the time, rarefaction refers to air or other gases becoming less dense. When rarefaction occurs, the particles in a gas become more spread out.
Rarefaction is the act or process of making less dense or the state of being less dense. Learn how to use this word in different contexts, such as physics, ecology, and speech science, with examples from Collins Dictionary.
Rarefaction is the act or process of making less dense or the state of being less dense. It can also refer to a decrease in density and pressure in a medium caused by a sound wave. See synonyms, translations and usage examples.
