Adsorbed: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• 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.

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.

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

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