What is Adsorption?

Adsorption is the phenomenon of accumulation of large number of molecular species at the surface of liquid or solid phase
in comparison to the bulk.
How Adsorption occurs?
The process of adsorption arises due to presence of unbalanced or residual forces at the surface of liquid or solid phase.
These unbalanced residual forces have tendency to attract and retain the molecular species with which it comes in contact
with the surface. Adsorption is essentially a surface phenomenon.
Adsorption process involves two components Adsorbent and Adsorbate. Adsorbent is the substance on the surface of which
adsorption takes place.Adsorbate is the substance which is being adsorbed on the surface of adsorbent. Adsorbate gets
adsorbed.
Adsorption process takes place by adsorbate getting adsorbed on adsorbent .Forces of attraction exist between adsorbate and
adsorbent and due to these forces of attraction, heat energy is released. So adsorption is an exothermic process.
Types of Adsorption
Forces of attraction exist between adsorbate and adsorbent. These forces of attraction can be due to Vanderwaal forces of
attraction which are weak forces or due to chemical bond which are strong forces of attraction. On the basis of type of forces
of attraction existing between adsorbate and adsorbent, adsorption can be classified into two types: Physical Adsorption or
Chemical Adsorption.
Physical Adsorption or Physisorption
When the force of attraction existing between adsorbate and adsorbent are weak Vanderwaal forces of attraction, the process
is called Physical Adsorption or Physisorption.
Chemical Adsorption or Chemisorption
When the force of attraction existing between adsorbate and adsorbent are chemical forces of attraction or chemical bond,
the process is called Chemical Adsorption or Chemisorption
Adsorption Isotherm
The process of Adsorption is usually studied through graphs called as adsorption isotherm. It is the graph between the
amounts of adsorbate (x) adsorbed on the surface of adsorbent (m) and pressure at constant temperature.
Applications of Adsorption
Charcoal is used as a decoloriser as it adsorbs the coloring matter from the coloured solution of sugar.
Silica and alumina gels are used as adsorbents for removing moisture and for controlling humidity of rooms.
Activated charcoal is used in gas masks as it adsorbs all the toxic gases and vapours and purifies the air for
breathing.
Absorption is the process in which a fluid is dissolved by a liquid or a solid (absorbent). Adsorption is the process in
which atoms, ions or molecules from a substance (it could be gas, liquid or dissolved solid) adhere to a surface of the
adsorbent. Adsorption is a surface-based process where a film of adsorbate is created on the surface while absorption
involves the entire volume of the absorbing substance.
Absorption versus Adsorption comparison chart
Absorption
Definition Assimilation of
molecular species
throughout the bulk
of the solid or liquid
is termed as
absorption.

Phenomenon It is a bulk
phenomenon

Adsorption
Accumulation of
the molecular
species at the
surface rather than
in the bulk of the
solid or liquid is
termed as
adsorption.
It is a surface
phenomenon.

Heat Endothermic process Exothermic process

exchange
Temperature It is not affected by It is favoured by
temperature
low temperature

Absorption versus Adsorption comparison chart

Absorption
Rate of It occurs at a
reaction uniform rate.
Concentratio It is same
n throughout the
material.

Adsorption
It steadily increases
and reach to
equilibrium
Concentration on
the surface of
adsorbent is
different from that
in the bulk

Process
Adsorption and absorption are both sorption processes.
Absorption occurs when atoms pass through or enter a bulky material. During absorption, the molecules are entirely
dissolved or diffused in the absorbent to form a solution. Once dissolved, the molecules cannot be separated easily from
the absorbent.
Adsorption is generally classified into physisorption (weak van der Waals forces) and chemisorption (covalent bonding). It
can also be caused by electrostatic attraction. The molecules are held loosely on the surface of the adsorbent and can be
easily removed.
Uses
Absorption: The common commercial uses of absorption cycle are absorption chillers for space cooling applications, ice
production, cold storage, turbine inlet cooling. Highefficiency operation, environmentally friendly refrigerants, cleanburning fuels and few moving parts that require maintenance make absorption a very good choice for consumers.
The process of gas absorption by a liquid is used in hydrogenation of oils and carbonation of beverages.
Adsorption: Some of the industrial applications for adsorption are air-conditioning, adsorption chillers, synthetic resin
and water purification. An adsorption chiller does not require moving parts and hence is quiet. In pharmaceutical industry
applications, adsorption is used as a means to prolong neurological exposure to specific drugs or parts thereof. Adsorption
of molecules onto polymer surfaces is used in various applications such as in the development of non-stick coatings and in
various biomedical devices.
Absorption is when one substance enters completely into another. Think of people walking into and sitting down in a car
trolley.
Adsorption is when one substance just hangs onto the outside of another. Think of people holding onto a car trolley with one
hand and leaning off the side. Theyre along for the ride but not inside.