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ground state
noun
: the state of a physical system (as of an atomic nucleus or an atom) having the least energy of all the possible states
called also ground level
Examples of ground state in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Vance returns to Ohio after hitting the campaign trail on Saturday with Trump in Grand Rapids, Michigan, an important battle ground state.
—Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 22 July 2024
Michigan is a battle ground state, among those that Democrats hope to win to secure the presidency.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 11 July 2024
When the atom interacts with, or measures, the particle, the entire system ends up in a superposition of the particle flashing and the atom absorbing this light and entering a higher energy state, and the particle not flashing and the atom remaining in its ground state.
—Anil Ananthaswamy, Scientific American, 25 June 2024
When cooled, these complex systems are content to settle not in their ground state, but rather at a nearby low energy level, known as a local minimum energy level.
—Quanta Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1926, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near ground state
Cite this Entry
“Ground state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20state. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
ground state
noun
: the energy level of a physical system (as an atom) having the least energy of all its possible states
More from Merriam-Webster on ground state
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ground state
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