Meaning & use
rarefaction
A decrease in the density or pressure of a substance, especially the air, as in a sound wave.
See it in a sentence
In a sound wave, rarefaction alternates with compression as the air pressure rises and falls.
At high altitude, the rarefaction of the atmosphere makes breathing noticeably harder.
A note on using this word
Rarefaction is mainly a physics term, most often paired with 'compression' when describing sound or gas behavior.
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