Absorption may refer to:
Chemistry and biology
*
Absorption (biology), digestion
**
Absorption (small intestine)
*
Absorption (chemistry)
Absorption is a physical or chemical phenomenon or a process in which atoms, molecules or ions enter the liquid or solid bulk phase of a material. This is a different process from adsorption, since molecules undergoing absorption are taken up b ...
, diffusion of particles of gas or liquid into liquid or solid materials
*
Absorption (skin)
Skin absorption is a route by which substances can enter the body through the skin. Along with inhalation, ingestion and injection, dermal absorption is a route of exposure for toxic substances and route of administration for medication. Absorpti ...
, a route by which substances enter the body through the skin
*
Absorption (pharmacology)
Absorption is the journey of a drug travelling from the site of administration to the site of action.
The drug travels by some route of administration ( oral, topical-dermal, etc.) in a chosen dosage form (e.g., tablets, capsules, or in sol ...
, absorption of drugs into the body
Physics and chemical engineering
*
Absorption (acoustics)
In acoustics, absorption refers to the process by which a material, structure, or object takes in sound energy when sound, sound waves are encountered, as opposed to reflection (physics), reflecting the energy. Part of the absorbed energy is t ...
, absorption of sound waves by a material
*
Absorption (electromagnetic radiation)
In physics, absorption of electromagnetic radiation is how matter (typically electrons bound in atoms) takes up a photon's energy—and so transforms electromagnetic energy into internal energy of the absorber (for example, thermal energy).
...
, absorption of light or other electromagnetic radiation by a material
*Absorption air conditioning, a type of
solar air conditioning
*
Absorption refrigerator, a refrigerator that runs on surplus heat rather than electricity
*
Dielectric absorption, the inability of a charged capacitor to completely discharge when briefly discharged
Mathematics and economics
*
Absorption (economics), the total demand of an economy for goods and services both from within and without
*
Absorption (logic), one of the rules of inference
*
Absorption costing, or total absorption costing, a method for appraising or valuing a firm's total inventory by including all the manufacturing costs incurred to produce those goods
*
Absorbing element
In mathematics, an absorbing element (or annihilating element) is a special type of element of a set with respect to a binary operation on that set. The result of combining an absorbing element with any element of the set is the absorbing element ...
, in mathematics, an element that does not change when it is combined in a binary operation with some other element
*
Absorption law, in mathematics, an identity linking a pair of binary operations
See also
*
Adsorption
Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved solid to a surface. This process creates a film of the ''adsorbate'' on the surface of the ''adsorbent''. This process differs from absorption, in which a ...
, the formation of a gas or liquid film on a solid surface
*
CO2 scrubber, device which absorbs carbon dioxide from circulated gas
*
Digestion
Digestion is the breakdown of large insoluble food compounds into small water-soluble components so that they can be absorbed into the blood plasma. In certain organisms, these smaller substances are absorbed through the small intestine into th ...
, the uptake of substances by the gastrointestinal tract
*
Absorption (psychology), a state of becoming absorbed by mental imagery or fantasy
*
Flow (psychology)
Flow in positive psychology, also known colloquially as being in the zone or locked in, is the mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized Attention, focus, full involvement, and enjoyment ...
, a state of total mental "absorption"
{{Disambiguation