| degeneracy [di`jen·ǝ·rǝ·sē] MATHEMATICS The condition in which two characteristic functions of an operator have the same characteristic value. PHYSICS The condition in which two or more modes of a vibrating system have the same frequency; a special case of the mathematics definition. QUANTUM MECHANICS The condition in which two or more stationary states of the same system have the same energy even though their wave functions are not the same; a special case of the mathematics definition. |