What does coupling mean in physics?

[luke m]

I am reading Carroll’s Spacetime and Geometry, and I have seen the word “coupled” used multiple times in seemingly different ways. I have gotten the sense that it means some sort of interaction between particles, but Carroll refers to coupling between matter fields and the curvature of spacetime. Furthermore, these are said to to not be directly coupled, even though they are related by Einstein’s equation. I have also seen “coupled” used in the context of coupling constants, entanglement, and forces in the early universe. Is there a rigorous definition for this word?

 

[jedishrfu]

Well Wikipedia has a discussion on coupling

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coupling_(physics)

They talk about coupled harmonic oscillators where each oscillator affects the others motion and vice versa.

 

[haushofer]

Two fields are coupled when, in the action, they appear multiplied to each-other in some way. The equations of motion then indicate that the EOM of field A also involves field B.

The other way around: if fields are decoupled, they live "along each other without noticing each-other".

 

[nitsuj]

I am reading Carroll’s Spacetime and Geometry, and I have seen the word “coupled” used multiple times in seemingly different ways. I have gotten the sense that it means some sort of interaction between particles, but Carroll refers to coupling between matter fields and the curvature of spacetime. Furthermore, these are said to to not be directly coupled, even though they are related by Einstein’s equation. I have also seen “coupled” used in the context of coupling constants, entanglement, and forces in the early universe. Is there a rigorous definition for this word?

Two fields are coupled when, in the action, they appear multiplied to each-other in some way. The equations of motion then indicate that the EOM of field A also involves field B.

The other way around: if fields are decoupled, they live "along each other without noticing each-other".

I thought the "common denominator" was lightlike or closer stuff. But apparently "coupled" was used in the context of "entanglement". I think "coupled" much like entanglement, is used poetically in said contexts.

 

[m4r35n357]

As i understand it two or more variables are considered to be coupled whenever they are described by simultaneous equations.

 

[sweet springs]

Is there a rigorous definition for this word?

Say any two objects (particles, fields, quantum states, etc.) of the same caterory or other, have a correlation, they are coupled. Please take care it is just my interpretation, not the definition of the term.