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I am writing an article related to the ionosphere and I would like to ask what form of the word disperse is right in the sentence:

A significant majority of the error can be easily removed using two or more frequencies due to the disperse nature of the ionosphere.

I looked at few dictionaries and googled the combination "disperse nature". Here is what I found:

▶adjective: Chemistry denoting a phase dispersed in another phase, as in a colloid. – derivatives dispersal noun,

disperser noun,

dispersible adjective

dispersive adjective.

And for example http://www.yourdictionary.com/disperse-system

disperse system

A disperse system is a two-part system made up of microscopic particles and the medium in which they are suspended. (noun)

Here, if I am not mistaken, the word disperse is used as an adjective.

I am not an English native speaker and I have no sense in this. What is the right form for my sentence?

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    Dispersive is the appropriate adjective, but sentence "A significant majority of the error can be easily removed using two or more frequencies due to the dispersive nature of the ionosphere" nevertheless probably is incorrectly formed and should instead say "A significant majority of the error due to the dispersive nature of the ionosphere can be easily removed using two or more frequencies".
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Jul 11, 2012 at 15:32
  • Thx : ) I will change it right away : )
    – MasterPJ
    Jul 11, 2012 at 16:17
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    Note, "a significant majority" is redundant; one instead says "much" or "most", "a majority", "a major part", "a significant amount", "a significant fraction", etc.
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Jul 11, 2012 at 22:49
  • So the conclusion is: I should take English lessons : ) Thank you for this comment as well, of course.
    – MasterPJ
    Jul 12, 2012 at 7:10

4 Answers 4

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I believe dispersive is your best bet:

1: of or relating to dispersion a dispersive medium, the dispersive power of a lens
2: tending to disperse

So you'd have

A significant majority of the error can be easily removed using two or more frequencies due to the dispersive nature of the ionosphere.

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    Oh yeah, that's it! If you Google dispersive nature plenty of scientific articles will pop up: ) Thx! (Now I am a little bit ashamed that I didn't try it before...)
    – MasterPJ
    Jul 11, 2012 at 14:27
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(-) Is the ionosphere, itself, disperse? If yes, then because past participles can be adjectives, I would write "dispersed". ex: "100% distilled water does not have a dispersed nature."

(-) Is the ionosphere not dispersed, but the ionosphere causes dispersion, then I would use "dispersive": ex: "With regard to light diffraction, 100% distilled water has a dispersive nature."

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    Using disperse as in your first sentence is nonsense; to be grammatical it should be one of dispersed, dispersive, or dispersible.
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Jul 11, 2012 at 15:28
  • If you don't think that past participles can function as adjectives, then I don't know what to say.
    – redshoes
    Jul 11, 2012 at 18:39
  • What I think about past participles is irrelevant because disperse is not a past participle. Per wiktionary, disperse is present tense and its past participle is dispersed. If you have a source to contrary, cite it.
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Jul 11, 2012 at 18:50
  • dude. I don't see what you are reading: "100% distilled water does not have a dispersed nature." "Dispersed" modifies "nature". good luck.
    – redshoes
    Jul 11, 2012 at 18:51
  • That's not the first sentence. What I meant by "the first sentence" is the question "Is the ionosphere, itself, disperse?".
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Jul 11, 2012 at 18:55
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"Disperse" is a suitable adjective; the opposite of "dense".

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    Hello, JohnH, and welcome to English Language & Usage. You can greatly strengthen this answer by including a definition of disperse (from a recognized reference authority) that reinforces your position, rather than making a simple assertion without substantiation.
    – Sven Yargs
    May 21, 2015 at 8:16
  • Indeed--although it may or may not be restricted to a technical usage in physics
    – SAH
    Jul 3, 2016 at 16:18
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I am surprised nobody suggested 'sparse' as an alternate word.

Thinly dispersed or scattered

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