Absorption is _____ related to frequency.

Absorption is _____ related to frequency.

• A. Inversely
• B. Not related
• C. Directly
• D. Proportional to frequency squared

Answer: (C)

The relation being tested is how absorption changes as frequency changes. As frequency increases, the energy per photon (E = hf) rises. That extra energy makes photons more effective at driving the interactions that cause attenuation—electronic transitions, vibrational modes, or other loss mechanisms in the material. Because of this, many materials show stronger attenuation at higher frequencies, so absorption tends to increase in proportion to frequency. In simple terms, higher frequency waves are absorbed more, giving a direct relationship between absorption and frequency. Keep in mind the exact dependence can vary with material and frequency range, but the straightforward, linear link is the best general description.

The relation being tested is how absorption changes as frequency changes. As frequency increases, the energy per photon (E = hf) rises. That extra energy makes photons more effective at driving the interactions that cause attenuation—electronic transitions, vibrational modes, or other loss mechanisms in the material. Because of this, many materials show stronger attenuation at higher frequencies, so absorption tends to increase in proportion to frequency. In simple terms, higher frequency waves are absorbed more, giving a direct relationship between absorption and frequency. Keep in mind the exact dependence can vary with material and frequency range, but the straightforward, linear link is the best general description.