In physics, the fraction of radiation or energy that a material absorbs rather than reflects or transmits.
From absorpt- (from Latin absorbere) + -ance (suffix forming nouns of state or quality, from Latin -antia). Common in scientific terminology since the 19th century.
Absorptance is crucial in solar panel design—engineers calculate exactly how much sunlight a material will absorb versus reflect, which is why black surfaces are better at capturing solar energy than white ones.
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