Difference Between Adsorbent and Absorbent

Adsorbent vs Absorbent

Every one is aware of the word absorbent but might have not heard about adsorbent. With a single change of ‘d’ in place of ‘b’ means a lot of difference between the two. Both adsorbent and absorbent are different physical and chemical processes.

Absorbent is the process by which a material absorbs some amount of liquid or gas into it. Adsorbent is a process by which some liquid or gas gets accumulated on the surface of a solid material.

Absorbent is a process by which a substance takes in another substance. Absorbent can also be stated as a condition where the ions, atoms or molecules enter some liquid, solid or gas material. Absorption can also be said to the process by which the energy of a photon is absorbed by another entity.

Unlike absorbent that is related to volume, Adsorbent is related to surface. Adsorbent is just the opposite of absorbent where the gas or liquid is not absorbed but only forms on the surface of the material. Adsorbent is widely used in industrial applications like activated charcoal, water purification and synthetic resins.

In absorption, something moves inside an object whereas in adsorbent, the substance forms a layer on the surface of an object.

Adsorption involves adhesion and absorption involves dissolution or diffusion. In absorbent materials, the atoms, molecules or particles are taken internally. On the other hand, the particles, atoms and molecules adhere to the surface only in Adsorbent materials. The molecules are retained only on the surface. Absorption can also be called as filling the pores as the molecules go deep into the body.

Summary

1. Absorbent is the process by which a material absorbs some amount of liquid or gas into it. Adsorbent is a process by which some liquid or gas gets accumulated on the surface of a solid material.

2. Unlike absorbent that is related to volume, Adsorbent is related to surface.

3. Absorbent can also be stated as a condition where the ions, atoms or molecules enter some liquid, solid or gas material.

4. Absorption can also be said to the process by which the energy of a photon is absorbed by another entity.

5. In absorption, something moves inside an object whereas in adsorption, the substance forms a layer on the surface of an object.

6. Adsorption involves adhesion and absorption involves dissolution or diffusion.

7. In absorbent materials, the atoms, molecules or particles are taken internally. On the other hand, the particles, atoms and molecules only adhere to the surface in Adsorbent materials.

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