Article
Article
Absorption
Article By:
Furter, William F. Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario.
Last reviewed:November 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.001500
Show previous versions
- Absorption, published January 2014:Download PDF
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader
Either the taking up of energy from radiation by the medium through which radiation is passing, or the taking up of matter in bulk by other matter. A simple example of the absorption of energy is how sunlight warms a tree's leaves (see illustration). Wavelengths of green light are reflected by molecules in the leaves, making them appear green, while other wavelengths of light are absorbed for use in photosynthesis, with some energy being converted into heat. A simple example of absorption by matter of other matter is the dissolving of carbon dioxide gas into water to create soda water. See also: Carbon dioxide; Chemistry; Energy; Photosynthesis; Physics; Tree; Water
The content above is only an excerpt.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information
