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Absorb (physics)

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

OCR

Absorption, pages 164-165, 178-179, Gateway GCSE Physics, Oxford, OCR