Contents
Key Stage 3
Meaning
Absorption is when the energy being transferred by a wave is taken into an energy store of a material.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Absorption is when the energy being transmitted by a wave is taken into an energy store of a material.
About Absorption
- When a wave is absorbed the wave ceases to exist and the energy being transmitted by that wave increases an energy store of the absorbing material.
- Absorption happens at the interface between two media.
- Black objects absorb light increasing their thermal energy store.
- Soft objects absorb sound increasing their thermal energy store.
- The colour of an object is caused by some frequencies of light being absorbed while others are reflected.
References
AQA
- Absorption of waves, pages 189-90, 195, GCSE Physics, Hodder, AQA
- Absorption, pages 27-29, 179, 206-207, GCSE Physics; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
- Absorption; lines, page 111, GCSE Physics; Student Book, Collins, AQA
Edexcel
- Absorbed waves, page 56, GCSE Physics, Pearson Edexcel
- Absorption of radiation, page 320, GCSE Combined Science, Pearson Edexcel
- Absorption of radiation, page 38, GCSE Physics, Pearson Edexcel
- Absorption of waves, pages 98, 128, 141-144, GCSE Physics, CGP, Edexcel
- Absorption of waves; colour of objects, page 137, GCSE Physics, CGP, Edexcel
- Absorption spectra, pages 191, 192, GCSE Physics, CGP, Edexcel
- Absorption spectrum, page 359, GCSE Combined Science, Pearson Edexcel
- Absorption spectrum, page 95, GCSE Physics, Pearson Edexcel
- Absorption, pages 34, 40, GCSE Physics; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel