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Adsorbed Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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adsorbed

[ədˈzɔːrbd ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

chemical process

Adsorbed refers to the process by which molecules adhere to a surface. This process is crucial in various scientific fields, including chemistry, physics, and materials science. The adhered molecules can create a thin layer on the surface, affecting its properties and interactions. Adsorption is different from absorption, as the latter involves molecules being taken up into the bulk of another material.

Synonyms

anchored, attached, bound.

Examples of usage

  • The dye was adsorbed onto the surface of the paper.
  • Carbon filters adsorb impurities from water.
  • The gas was adsorbed onto the solid catalyst.
  • Adsorbed molecules can alter the surface reactivity.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Science

  • In chemistry, adsorbed molecules attach themselves to surfaces but do not penetrate them, differing from absorption where they would enter.
  • The process is crucial in areas like catalysis, where adsorbing a reactant on a catalyst’s surface helps in speeding up chemical reactions.
  • Adsorption is essential in water treatment processes, where pollutants are removed by sticking to special materials.

Technology

  • Adsorption is used in creating sensors that detect harmful gases by measuring how much of the gas sticks to a surface.
  • In nanotechnology, nanoparticles are engineered to adsorb molecules selectively, which can improve drug delivery in medicine.

Psychology

  • The concept of adsorbed information relates to how individuals may cling to specific details about their experiences, influencing their memories.
  • Certain theories of memory retention suggest that new knowledge can be 'adsorbed' on top of existing knowledge structures, forming more complex understanding.

Environmental Impact

  • Adsorption plays a role in how pollutants cling to soil or sediment, affecting how they persist in the environment.
  • Researchers develop adsorbents to clean up oil spills, using materials that can effectively gather up oil from water surfaces.

Origin of 'adsorbed'

Main points about word origin

  • The term comes from the Latin root 'ad-', meaning 'to,' and 'sorbere', meaning 'to suck in'.
  • It was first used in the late 19th century in scientific contexts about how gases and liquids interact with solids.

The term 'adsorb' is derived from the combination of the Latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to' or 'toward', and the verb 'sorb', stemming from the Latin 'sorbere', which means 'to suck up' or 'absorb'. The differentiation between adsorption and absorption was popularized in scientific literature in the late 19th to early 20th century as the understanding of surface chemistry expanded. This period saw significant advancements in physical chemistry, leading to the formal establishment of these terms to describe differing phenomena in material interactions. The prefix 'ad-' indicates the specific action of molecules adhering to the surface, rather than being absorbed into a material's volume. Thus, 'adsorb' has become a key term in various scientific disciplines, highlighting its significance in processes such as catalysis, environmental science, and food technology.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,428, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.