Meaning & use
adsorbent
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A solid substance whose surface holds molecules of a gas or liquid so that they stick to it.
Grammar: A countable noun: activated carbon is a common adsorbent.
Activated charcoal is a widely used adsorbent in water filters.
Silica gel works as an adsorbent that keeps moisture away from electronics.
The engineers tested a new adsorbent for capturing carbon dioxide.
adjectivebefore a noun
Able to hold molecules on its surface.
Grammar: Placed before a noun: an adsorbent material.
The adsorbent surface of the clay attracts oily particles.
Researchers coated the filter with an adsorbent layer.
Word forms
| plural | adsorbents |
|---|
Common combinations
- activated carbon adsorbent
- An activated carbon adsorbent removed the odor from the air.
- adsorbent material
- The adsorbent material was packed into a column.
- porous adsorbent
- A porous adsorbent has a very large surface area.
- regenerate an adsorbent
- The plant regenerates the adsorbent by heating it.
- saturated adsorbent
- A saturated adsorbent can hold no more gas.
Synonyms and how they differ
- absorbent
- Absorbent means soaking material up into its body, while adsorbent means holding it only on the surface.
- sorbent
- Sorbent is the wider term covering both absorbing and adsorbing materials.
- filter medium
- Filter medium names any material that filters, which may or may not rely on adsorption.
Word family
- adsorb verb
- to hold molecules on a surface
- adsorption noun
- the sticking of molecules to a surface
- adsorbate noun
- the substance that gets adsorbed
- adsorptive adjective
- able to adsorb
Commonly confused: adsorbent or absorbent?
adsorbent vs absorbent
Absorbent materials, like sponges, take liquid inside; adsorbent ones, like charcoal, collect it on their surface.
Practice
Activated charcoal is used in the filter as an ___ because it traps gas molecules on its surface.
Choose one answer.
Adsorbent describes a material that holds molecules on its surface. Absorbent is the tempting wrong option because it means taking something into the body of a material.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “adsorbent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.