Astronomy   View all facts   Glossary   Help

physical phenomena > process > physical process > optical process > radiation modification > radiation intensity modification > absorption > attenuation

attenuation comparison table

Subject	is a kind of	has definition
absorption	radiation intensity modification	Decrease in the intensity of radiation, representing energy converted into excitation or ionization of electrons in the region through which the radiation travels. As contrasted with monochromatic scattering (in which reemission occurs in all directions at the same frequency), the inverse process of emission refers to radiation that is reemitted in general in all directions and at all frequencies.
attenuation	absorption	The falling off of the energy density of radiation with distance from the source, or with passage through an absorbing or scattering medium.

Next absorption: inverse bremsstrahlung    Up: absorption    Previous absorption: selective absorption