Distinguish between the meaning of the terms adsorption and absorption. Give one example of each.
Answers
The term adsorption refers to the accumulation of the substance at a surface.
The substances, which are adsorbed, are known as adsorbate.
The process of adsorption takes place on the surface of adsorbent.
The absorption generally is the bulk phenomenon.
In this process, the substances get distributed uniformly throughout the liquid or solid.
Answer:
The surface phenomenon of crowding up of molecules of a substance at the base surface rather than in the mass (bulk) of a solid or liquid is called Adsorption.
Adsorbate is the substance that gets adsorbed and the adsorbent is the substance on whose surface the adsorption takes place. Here, the concentration of the adsorbate on the surface of the adsorbent increases. The concentration of the substance remains at the surface only in the case of adsorption.
It does not penetrate through the surface to the bulk of the solid or liquid.
For example, on dipping a chalk stick into an ink solution, there is only a color change on its surface and it will be found to be white from inside when the chalk stick is broken.
On the other hand, the process of absorption is a bulk phenomenon. In absorption, the substance gets uniformly distributed throughout the bulk of the solid or liquid.