How to define anisotropy

This question is too broad and should be refined.

  http://www.answers.com/anisotropy+?cat=technology   You can find many relevant English explanations, and then choose the applicable meaning according to the specific context.   WordNet: anisotropy The noun has one meaning: Meaning #1: the property of being anisotropic; in chemistry it is a property of a substance that depends on direction Wikipedia: anisotropy WMAP image of the (extremely tiny) anisotropies in the cosmic background radiation Anisotropy (pronounced with stress on the third syllable, IPA: /ˌænaɪˈsɒtrəpi/) is the property of being directionally dependent, as opposed to isotropy, which means homogeneity in all directions. It can be defined as a difference in a physical property (absorbance, refractive index, density, etc.) for some material when measured along different axes. An example is the light coming through a polarizing lens. .......

The general understanding is that it shows different characteristics in different directions.

The anisotropy of anisotropic crystals means that the periodicity and density of atomic arrangements are different along different directions of the crystal lattice, which results in different physical and chemical properties of the crystal in different directions. This is the anisotropy of the crystal. The anisotropy of the crystal is specifically reflected in the elastic film amount, hardness, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, resistivity, electric displacement vector, electric polarization intensity, magnetic susceptibility and refractive index in different directions of the crystal. As an important characteristic of crystals, anisotropy has considerable research value. The Miller index is commonly used to mark different orientations of crystals. The phenomenon of volume shrinkage of wood caused by the reduction of water content is called drying shrinkage, and drying shrinkage is also called "wood anisotropy" For example, when the fiber saturation point is reduced to 0% moisture content, the dry shrinkage along the grain is very small, 0.1~0.3%, the radial shrinkage along the transverse grain is 3.66%, the maximum dry shrinkage in the chord direction is 9.63%, and the volume shrinkage is 13.8%. Therefore, when the wood texture is not straight and uneven, the surface and internal water evaporation rates are inconsistent, and the degree of dry shrinkage of each part is different, irregular deformation such as bending and twisting, and uneven drying shrinkage will cause cracks. The texture is uneven and the strength is inconsistent in all aspects. The wood is along the trunk ( * The strength of the trunk (usually called along the grain) is much greater than the horizontal grain (horizontal grain) of the vertical tree trunk. The example picture shows the compressive strength of pine and miscellaneous wood in three directions. The reason for the strength of various aspects can be found from the structure and arrangement of tubular cells. Wood fibers have the strongest longitudinal connections, so the tensile strength along the grain is the highest. When the wood is pressed along the grain, each cell is like a pipe column. The pressure is so great that the cell wall warps inward and then breaks. Therefore, the compressive strength along the grain is smaller than the tensile strength along the grain. When the transverse grain is compressed, the tubular cells are easily crushed, so the strength is only about 1/8 of the compressive strength along the grain, and the bending strength is between tensile and compressive strength.