when a substance sticks to the surface of another substance (different from absorb, which means sinking in).
Formed from 'ad-' (to, toward) combined with 'sorb' (from Latin 'sorbere,' to suck in). Scientists created this word to distinguish surface-sticking from absorption, where materials go into the interior.
Coal filters and the activated charcoal in water bottles work through adsorption—molecules stick to the bumpy surface like tiny magnets rather than soaking in, which is why replacing the filter restores the charcoal's function.
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