Einstein–de Haas effect

noun

A physical phenomenon in which a change in the magnetic moment of a free body causes the body to rotate, as a consequence of the conservation of angular momentum.

Meanings

nounEinstein—de Haas effect (plural Einstein–de Haas effects)

plural Einstein–de Haas effects · alternative Einstein-de Haas effect

  1. natural sciencesA physical phenomenon in which a change in the magnetic moment of a free body causes the body to rotate, as a consequence of the conservation of angular momentum.

    Because of this transfer, an initially spin-polarized dipolar condensate can dynamically generate vortices in a process resembling the Einstein–de Haas effect.

    2013, Makoto Tsubota, Kenichi Kasamatsu, Michikazu Kobayashi, “Quantized vortices in superfluid helium and atomic Bose-Einstein condensates”, in Karl-Heinz Bennemann, John B. Ketterson, editors, Novel Superfluids: Volume 1, Oxford University Press, page 229
    2 more examples

    This relation between the magnetic moment and the angular momentum is demonstrated by the Einstein–de Haas effect, discovered in 1915, in which a ferromagnetic rod is suspended vertically, along its axis, by a thin fibre (see Fig 1.2).

    2001, Stephen Blundell, Magnetism in Condensed Matter, Oxford University Press, page 2

    In this chapter, we explore the possibility of using the spin degree of freedom of electrons, which has been disregarded for "conventional" molecular motors, and of resorting to the principle of the Einstein–de Haas effect, a century-old but still intriguing magnetic phenomenon.

    2015, Takashi Ushihashi, Teruo Ono, “The Einstein-de Haas effect and Its Application to Spin-Driven Molecular Motors”, in Christian Joachim, Gwénaël Rapenne, editors, Single Molecular Machines and Motors: 1st International Symposium, Proceedings, Springer,, page 96

Origin

Named after physicists Albert Einstein and Wander Johannes de Haas, who jointly published the first observation of the effect in 1915. It had been predicted by Owen Willans Richardson in 1908.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French effet Einstein-de Hass
  • effet Einstein-de Hassphysical phenomenon
German Einstein-de Haas-Effekt
  • Einstein-de Haas-Effektphysical phenomenon
Italian effetto Einstein-De Haas
  • effetto Einstein-De Haasphysical phenomenon
Cite this entry
APA

Einstein–de Haas effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Einstein%E2%80%93de%20Haas%20effect

MLA

“Einstein–de Haas effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Einstein%E2%80%93de%20Haas%20effect. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Einstein–de Haas effect,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Einstein%E2%80%93de%20Haas%20effect.

Source: Einstein–de Haas effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.