Just “stuff that sticks to other stuff”? There's more to adsorption. Find out what happens when atoms, ions or molecules attach to the surface of a substance without penetrating it. This video explains how adsorption occurs at the chemical level, including physisorption, chemisorption, ligand exchange/anion penetration, outer-sphere and inner-sphere complexes attaching in different ways, and the role of the hydration sphere.

For a more general overview of adsorption, see our video “Absorption in Everyday Life”.

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