ABSORPTION

Absorption

In physics, absorption of electromagnetic radiation is the way in which the energy of a photon is taken up by matter, typically the electrons of an atom. Thus, the electromagnetic energy is transformed into internal energy of the absorber, for example thermal energy. The reduction in intensity of a light wave propagating through a medium by absorption of a part of its photons is often called attenuation. Usually, the absorption of waves does not depend on their intensity, although in certain conditions, the medium changes its transparency dependently on the intensity of waves going through, and saturable absorption occurs.

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absorption

Noun

  1. The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as,
    1. engulfing; swallowing up, as of bodies or land.
    2. assimilate; incorporation. <ref name=SOED/>
      ''the absorption of a smaller tribe into a larger
      the absorption of bodies in a whirlpool
    3. the imbibing or reception by molecular or chemical action, of radiant energy; the process of being neutrons being absorbed by the nucleus; interception. <ref name=SOED/>
      the absorption of light, heat, electricity, etc.
    4. in living organisms, the process by which the materials of growth and nutrition are absorbed and conveyed to the tissues and organs; taking in by various means, such as by osmosis. <ref name=SOED/>
  2. Entire engrossment or occupation of the mind. <ref name=SOED/>
    absorption in some employment
  3. Mental assimilation. <ref name=SOED/>
  4. The retaining of electrical energy for a short time after it has been introduced to the dielectric.
  5. The taking on of by a shipping company of special charges by another without price increase.
  6. The natural lessening of radio waves due to atmospheric interference.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: absorption
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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