absorpci

Absorpci refers to the process by which a substance or energy is taken up into another medium. It is distinct from adsorption, where materials accumulate on a surface rather than penetrate the interior of the absorber. In general, absorption involves transfer into the volume of the absorbing medium, while adsorption concerns surface binding.

In optics and spectroscopy, light absorption occurs when photons are removed from a beam by a material, converting light energy into heat or other forms. The extent of absorption is described by absorbance and the absorption coefficient. The Beer-Lambert law relates absorbance to concentration and path length. Many substances appear colored because they absorb specific wavelengths of light.

In biology and medicine, absorption refers to the uptake of nutrients, drugs, or other substances across membranes, most often in the gastrointestinal tract. Factors influencing absorption include solubility, molecular size, lipophilicity, pH, and blood flow. Absorption may occur passively or via active transport, and first-pass metabolism can reduce the amount reaching systemic circulation.

In environmental science and chemical engineering, absorption describes gas-liquid transfer, such as carbon dioxide dissolving into a solvent in an absorber column, or moisture and pollutants being absorbed by soils and liquids. In materials science, absorption also covers how much energy a material takes up when exposed to radiation or sound, affecting thermal, optical, and acoustic properties.

Common measurements related to absorpci include absorbance (A) and the absorption coefficient (mu). The term has Latin origins, from absorptio.