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Adsorption
Adsorption is the adhesion of molecules

(or ions and atoms) to the surface of a solid or
liquid. The molecules get accumulated only at
the surface and do not enter the bulk of the
adsorbing material.
 The substance whose molecules get
adsorbed at the surface is called
the adsorbate.
 The substance on whose surface the
process takes place is called the adsorbent.
 It is a surface phenomenon.
 Adsorption examples
Alumina gel, silica gel, zeolites,
activated carbon, graphite, finely divided
metals, etc. are some examples of good
adsorbents.
 Desorption
Desorption is the reverse process in
which the adsorbed substance is removed
from the surface of the adsorbent.
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 is a term which is completely
different from Absorption .While absorption
means uniform distribution of the substance
throughout the bulk, adsorption essentially
happens at the surface of the substance. When
both Adsorption and Absorption processes
take place simultaneously, the process is
called sorption.
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.
Adsorbate + Adsorbent gives rise to
Adsorption
Differences between
Absorption and Adsorption
Absorption Adsorption
Assimilation
Accumulation
of the molecular
of molecular species
system
Definition at the bottom
throughout the
instead of the
bulk of the solid or
liquid or solid.
liquid medium.
A bulk A surface
Phenomenon
phenomenon. phenomenon.
Heat Endothermic Exothermic
exchange process process
The
Influenced by
Temperature temperature has no
low temperature
effect.
Increases
Rate of Occurs at a steadily and
reaction uniform rate. reaches
equilibrium.
The
It is constant
Concentration at
Concentration throughout the
the bottom of
medium.
adsorbent is
different from that
in bulk.
Mechanism-
The process of adsorption arises due to the
fact that the forces acting on the surface
particles of a substance are not the same as
that acting on the bulk of the material.
Unlike the particles inside the bulk, on the
exposed surface, the particles are not
surrounded by atoms on all sides.
Consequently, the forces on the inside
balance each other, whereas those on the
surface are unbalanced. The unbalanced
residual forces on the surface have the
tendency to attract the adsorbate particles.
This leads to the process of adsorption.
It is to be noted here that at a given
temperature and pressure, the greater the
surface area of adsorbent, higher is the extent
of adsorption.
Adsorption is a spontaneous process-

For reaction or process to be spontaneous,
there must be decreases in free energy of the
system i.e. ΔG of the system must have negative
value.
Also we know, ΔG = ΔH – TΔS
And during this process of adsorption,
randomness of the molecule decreases which ΔS
is negative. We can rewrite above equation as
Therefore for a reaction to be spontaneous ΔH

has to be negative and
Adsorption is an exothermic process-

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
There are two types of adsorption :
1. Physical Adsorption or Physisorption
2. Chemical Adsorption or Chemisorption
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. Physical Adsorption takes place with
formation of multilayer of adsorbate on adsorbent. It
has low enthalpy of adsorption i.e. ΔH adsorption is 20-
40KJ/mol.
It takes place at low temperature below boiling
point of adsorbate. As the temperature increases in,
process of Physisorption decreases.
Physical Adsorption vs. Temperature graph
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. Chemisorption
takes place with formation of unilayer of adsorbate on
adsorbent. It has high enthalpy of adsorption
i.e.
It can take place at all temperature. With the

increases in temperature, Chemisorption first increases
and then decreases.
Chemical Adsorption vs. Temperature Graph
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
1. Charcoal is used as a decoloriser as it adsorbs the
coloring matter from the coloured solution of sugar.
2. Silica gel adsorbs moisture from the desiccators.

3. Silica and alumina gels are used as adsorbents
for removing moisture and for controlling humidity of
rooms.
4. Activated charcoal is used in gas masks as it
adsorbs all the toxic gases and vapours and purifies the
air for breathing.
5 .Adsorption processes are useful in carrying out

heterogeneous catalysis.
Factors on
which Adsorption
Depends-
 TEMPERATURE
-Adsorption increases at low
temperature conditions.
-Adsorption process is exothermic

in nature. According to Le Chatleir
principle, low temperature
conditions would favour the forward
direction.
 PRESSURE
-As depicted by Adsorption
Isotherm, with the increases in
pressure, adsorption increases up to a
certain extent till saturation level is
achieved. After saturation level is
achieved no more adsorption takes
place no matter how high the pressure
is applied.
 SURFACE AREA
-Adsorption is a surface
phenomenon therefore it increases
with increase in surface area.
 ACTIVATION OF
ADSORBENT
-Activation of adsorbent surface
is done so as to provide more
number of vacant sites on surface
of adsorbent. This can be done by
breaking solid crystal in small
pieces, heating charcoal at high
temperature, breaking lump of
solid into powder or other methods
suitable for particular adsorbent.
CONTENTS
1. Adsorption
2. How adsorption occurs?
3. Difference between Adsorption
and Absorption
4. Mechanism of Adsorption
5. Types of Adsorption
6. Application of Adsorption
7. Factors affecting Adsorption

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Adsorption

Adsorption is the adhesion of molecules

Adsorption is a spontaneous process-

Therefore for a reaction to be spontaneous ΔH

Adsorption is an exothermic process-

It can take place at all temperature. With the

2. Silica gel adsorbs moisture from the desiccators.

5 .Adsorption processes are useful in carrying out

-Adsorption process is exothermic

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