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.