Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Absorption refers to the process in which energy (such as light or sound) is taken in and converted into another form, usually heat. When an object absorbs light, it does not reflect or transmit it.
Related terms
Transmission: The process by which energy passes through a material without being absorbed or reflected.
Scattering: The redirection of light or sound waves in different directions due to interactions with particles or irregularities in a medium.
Reflectance: The measure of how much incident light is reflected by an object's surface.