In clay science, absorption occurs where the sorbate enters internal layers, voids, or pore spaces within the sorbent (usually, clay material). Other scientific fields, often do not specify a mechanism.

absorption edge (X-ray) The -“edge” concept (as in an “absorption edge”) is often used wherever there is a sharp drop (or increase) in a characteristic of a graph. For example, graphs of X-ray absorption vs energy (or wavelength) show a sharp decrease in absorption for foils of specific metals at distinct X-ray wavelengths, and these wavelengths mark the metal’s absorption edges. Metal foils have been used to reduce or remove extraneous X-ray wavelengths in (early) X-ray experiments; more modern experiments use a monochromator crystal. Because these absorption edges are characteristic for the metal, they may be used to identify the local atomic structure of the metal in a phase in spectroscopic studies, such as XANES (X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure) or EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure).

A mineral present in a rock which is not essential for the classification of that rock. Characterizing accessory minerals are often used as modifiers to the rock name, for example, as in nepheline basalt.

A poorly defined material, possibly sodium mica.

A crystal habit composed of radiating masses of slender needle-like crystalline phases.

A clay (most often a Ca-bentonite) treated with concentrated acid in aqueous suspensions and, depending on how the clay is to be used, at various elevated temperatures and subsequently washed, dried, and pulverized. The modification results in enhancements in surface acidity, increased specific surface area, and higher porosity, all of which improve edible-oil bleaching or adsorption properties. Surface acidity for a clay was noted by K. Kobayashi in 1899 in Japan, and he termed the clay as “acid clay”. Hence, “acid clay” and “activated clay” are separately described in Japan. More recent adaptations of acid activation applied to other fuller’s earth clays (e.g., clays rich in sepiolite or palygorskite or mixture of palygorskite and montmorillonite) have either improved upon or eliminated processing steps associated with “classical” acid activation to produce different bleaching clay products for refining numerous edible oils. It is common to include the activation process when describing activated clays, e.g., “thermal-activated clay”, “Na₂CO₃-activated clay”.
See also bleaching clay, fuller’s earth;
Cf., activated clay, beneficiation, bleaching clay

A clay treated either chemically, thermally, or physically (milling) to improve its properties or increase its reactivity, e.g. by increasing the specific surface area and porosity, creating broken bonds and lattice distortions.
Cf., acid activated clay, alkaline activated clay, thermally activated clay, ageing

The minimum energy two molecules, atoms, or ions must have to initiate (by colliding) a reaction is called the activation energy, E_a, and has units of kilojoules per mole.

A pharmaceutical term denoting the active ingredient(s) in a drug. For a drug containing clay, the active principle may be loaded in clay lumen (e.g., halloysite, zeolite) or adsorbed to clay surfaces, including interlayer surfaces (e.g., as found in smectite). The clay portion, as an inactive carrier or coating, is referred to as the excipient or vehicle. The excipient is often used to improve the physical appearance, taste, smell, or smoothness of a pill or to promote disintegration (time release) of capsules or pills.
Syn., active ingredient, bulk active
Cf., aesthetic medicine, antibacterial clay, excipient, geotherapy, healing clay, lumen, medicinal clay, pelotherapy

In thermodynamics, activity refers to an ‘effective’ concentration, which takes nonideal behavior into account. Thus, ion-to-ion interactions, such as charge shielding, may affect the activity by attractive or repulsive intermolecular forces. The activity of a dissolved species is calculated as a_i = γ_im_i where γ_i is the activity coefficient and m_i is the molality. Activity is the term used to describe concentrations in solutions, whereas fugacity describes the activity of a gas.