a measure of the light-absorbing ability of an object, expressed as the logarithm to base 10 of the reciprocal of the internal transmittance
transmittance
absorbance in American English
(æbˈsɔrbəns, -ˈzɔr-)
noun
Physics
the capacity of a substance to absorb radiation, expressed as the common logarithm of the reciprocal of the transmittance of the substance
Also: absorbancy
Word origin
[1945–50; absorb(ent) + -ance]This word is first recorded in the period 1945–50. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: RNA, ergative, individual medley, poison pill, synchronized swimming-ance is a suffix used to form nouns either from adjectives in -ant or from verbs. Other words that use the affix -ance include: acceptance, compliance, dominance, guidance, resonance
Examples of 'absorbance' in a sentence
absorbance
For example, some spectrophotometers can measure absorbance in sample volumes as low as one microliter.
The Scientist (2001)
Difference spectra can detect small absorbance changes, or spectral shifts of absorbance peaks, against a high background absorbance.