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Absorptance
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In the study of heat transfer, absorptance of the surface of a material is its effectiveness in absorbing radiant energy. It is the ratio of the absorbed to the incident radiant power.[1]
Mathematical definitions
[edit]Hemispherical absorptance
[edit]Hemispherical absorptance of a surface, denoted A is defined as[2]
where
- is the radiant flux absorbed by that surface;
- is the radiant flux received by that surface.
Spectral hemispherical absorptance
[edit]Spectral hemispherical absorptance in frequency and spectral hemispherical absorptance in wavelength of a surface, denoted Aν and Aλ respectively, are defined as[2]
where
- is the spectral radiant flux in frequency absorbed by that surface;
- is the spectral radiant flux in frequency received by that surface;
- is the spectral radiant flux in wavelength absorbed by that surface;
- is the spectral radiant flux in wavelength received by that surface.
Directional absorptance
[edit]Directional absorptance of a surface, denoted AΩ, is defined as[2]
where
- is the radiance absorbed by that surface;
- is the radiance received by that surface.
Spectral directional absorptance
[edit]Spectral directional absorptance in frequency and spectral directional absorptance in wavelength of a surface, denoted Aν,Ω and Aλ,Ω respectively, are defined as[2]
where
- is the spectral radiance in frequency absorbed by that surface;
- is the spectral radiance received by that surface;
- is the spectral radiance in wavelength absorbed by that surface;
- is the spectral radiance in wavelength received by that surface.
Other radiometric coefficients
[edit]| Quantity | SI units | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Sym. | ||
| Hemispherical emissivity | ε | — | Radiant exitance of a surface, divided by that of a black body at the same temperature as that surface. |
| Spectral hemispherical emissivity | εν ελ |
— | Spectral exitance of a surface, divided by that of a black body at the same temperature as that surface. |
| Directional emissivity | εΩ | — | Radiance emitted by a surface, divided by that emitted by a black body at the same temperature as that surface. |
| Spectral directional emissivity | εΩ,ν εΩ,λ |
— | Spectral radiance emitted by a surface, divided by that of a black body at the same temperature as that surface. |
| Hemispherical absorptance | A | — | Radiant flux absorbed by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. This should not be confused with "absorbance". |
| Spectral hemispherical absorptance | Aν Aλ |
— | Spectral flux absorbed by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. This should not be confused with "spectral absorbance". |
| Directional absorptance | AΩ | — | Radiance absorbed by a surface, divided by the radiance incident onto that surface. This should not be confused with "absorbance". |
| Spectral directional absorptance | AΩ,ν AΩ,λ |
— | Spectral radiance absorbed by a surface, divided by the spectral radiance incident onto that surface. This should not be confused with "spectral absorbance". |
| Hemispherical reflectance | R | — | Radiant flux reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Spectral hemispherical reflectance | Rν Rλ |
— | Spectral flux reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Directional reflectance | RΩ | — | Radiance reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Spectral directional reflectance | RΩ,ν RΩ,λ |
— | Spectral radiance reflected by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Hemispherical transmittance | T | — | Radiant flux transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Spectral hemispherical transmittance | Tν Tλ |
— | Spectral flux transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Directional transmittance | TΩ | — | Radiance transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Spectral directional transmittance | TΩ,ν TΩ,λ |
— | Spectral radiance transmitted by a surface, divided by that received by that surface. |
| Hemispherical attenuation coefficient | μ | m−1 | Radiant flux absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume. |
| Spectral hemispherical attenuation coefficient | μν μλ |
m−1 | Spectral radiant flux absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume. |
| Directional attenuation coefficient | μΩ | m−1 | Radiance absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume. |
| Spectral directional attenuation coefficient | μΩ,ν μΩ,λ |
m−1 | Spectral radiance absorbed and scattered by a volume per unit length, divided by that received by that volume. |
References
[edit]- ^ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. (the "Gold Book") (2025). Online version: (2006–) "Absorptance". doi:10.1351/goldbook.A00035
- ^ a b c d "Thermal insulation — Heat transfer by radiation — Physical quantities and definitions". ISO 9288:1989. ISO catalogue. 1989. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
Absorptance
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Absorptance is the fraction of incident radiant or luminous flux that is absorbed by a body or material, denoted by the symbol α and ranging from 0 (no absorption) to 1 (complete absorption, as in a blackbody).[1][2] It represents the efficiency with which a surface or volume retains electromagnetic radiation, such as visible light, infrared, or ultraviolet, converting it into thermal energy or other forms.[3] This property is fundamental in fields like optics, radiative heat transfer, and photovoltaics, where it determines how materials interact with light and heat.[4]
In radiative transfer, absorptance is interrelated with reflectance (ρ, the fraction reflected) and transmittance (τ, the fraction transmitted), governed by energy conservation such that α + ρ + τ = 1 for non-scattering, non-fluorescent materials.[4][5] Absorptance can be spectral (α_λ, varying with wavelength λ due to material composition) or total (integrated over a spectrum, relevant for broadband sources like solar radiation).[6] It depends on intrinsic material properties, including the refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), and thickness (d), as well as external factors like angle of incidence and polarization.[4] For example, in thin films or coatings, increasing thickness enhances absorptance until saturation, while higher extinction coefficients promote deeper penetration and greater absorption.[7]
A key principle linking absorptance to emission is Kirchhoff's law of thermal radiation, which states that, for a body in thermal equilibrium, the spectral absorptance equals the spectral emissivity (ε_λ = α_λ) at the same wavelength and temperature, explaining why good absorbers are also efficient emitters.[8][6] This law underpins applications in solar absorbers (high α in visible, low ε in infrared for selective surfaces) and spacecraft thermal control (tailored α/ε ratios to balance heat gain and loss).[7] Measurements of absorptance often use spectrophotometry or calorimetric methods, ensuring accuracy across wavelengths for practical engineering designs.[9]
