Tuesday 10 February 2009

Adsorb or Absorb

adsorb dsb v. L19. [Back-form. f. next.] Chem. 1 v.t. Collect (a substance) by adsorption. L19. 2 v.i. Undergo adsorption (on, on to, to, a surface). E20.adsorbability n. the degree to which a substance is adsorbable E20. adsorbable a. able to be adsorbed E20. adsorbate n. an adsorbed substance E20. adsorbent n. a substance on which adsorption occurs E20

absorb bzb, -sb v.t. Pa. pple absorbed, (arch.) absorpt -pt . LME. [(O)Fr. absorber or L absorbere, f. ab AB- + sorbere suck in.] 1 Include or take (a thing) in so that it no longer has separate existence; incorporate. LME. 2 Of water, mire, etc.: engulf. L15-L18. 3 Suck or drink in. E17. 4 Take up (a substance, energy, etc.) by chemical or physical action; gain energy from and reduce the intensity of (light or other radiation, sound, etc.). E18. 5 Engross (a person, a person's attention, etc.). L18. 6 Occupy or consume (time). M19. 7 Assimilate mentally. L19.
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Excerpted from The Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia
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1 comment:

Perseus said...

Do you absorb information like a sponge and repeat it as written or observed, or do you synthesise the information and rearrange it like a composer, or do adsorb the information like a collector and incubate it for a long time?

One vote each asks for the principle method, but there is an option if you are undecided between two of them

http://www.intpforum.com/showthread.php?p=51069#post51069