# Debye

Physical unit
Unit name Debye
Unit symbol ${\ displaystyle \ mathrm {D}}$
Physical quantity (s) Electric dipole moment
dimension ${\ displaystyle {\ mathsf {M ^ {1/2} L ^ {5/2} T ^ {- 1}}}}$
system Electrostatic CGS unit system , Gaussian CGS unit system
In CGS units ${\ displaystyle \ mathrm {1 \, {Debye} = 10 ^ {- 18} \; Fr \ cdot cm}}$
Named after Peter Debye
Derived from Franklin (unit) , centimeter

As Debye [ dəbɛi̯ə ] ( unit symbol  D ; by Peter Debye , the explorer of the dipole phenomena) refers to the CGS unit of the electric dipole moment in the gaussian system of units and in the electrostatic unit system (ESU) .

This unit is based on the CGS units Franklin (Fr) and Centimeter (cm) :

{\ displaystyle {\ begin {aligned} 1 \ {\ rm {Debye}} & = 10 ^ {- 18} \ {\ rm {Fr \ cdot cm}} \\ & = 10 ^ {- 10} \ {\ rm {{Fr} \ cdot \ mathrm {\ AA}}} \ end {aligned}}}

with for the Ångström . ${\ displaystyle {\ rm {\ mathrm {\ AA}}}}$

For conversion into the SI unit for the electric dipole moment ( Coulomb  ·  meters , Coulombmeter) applies:

${\ displaystyle 1 \ {\ rm {Debye \ sim 3 {,} 33564 \ times 10 ^ {- 30} \ C \ times m}}}$

Since the use of the coulomb meter leads to very small numerical values ​​on atomic scales, the Debye is usually used.

In addition, the following approximation applies:

${\ displaystyle 1 \ {\ rm {Debye \ approx 0 {,} 2082 \ e \ cdot \ mathrm {\ AA}}}}$

With

• ${\ displaystyle {\ rm {e}}}$for the elementary charge .

The Debye is not a legal unit in metrology in Germany .