You may have run across some terms used in the description of the Moisture Control System's operation that are unclear to you. In actuality these terms represent two very different scientific concepts. For the answers to this and other questions on desiccant operation, read on. Absorption is when a substance is chemically integrated into another. When you drink a glass of water, you are absorbing it, as the water becomes part of you.
Adsorption is when one substance is being held inside another by physical bonds.
If you spill a glass of water on your shirt, it is adsorbed as the fibers will hold the water until heat dries out the shirt. Most desiccants don't chemically combine with water or the other substances they're present to protect against. They merely capture them through adsorption, and stow them away where they can't cause harm to the product. It is important to understand how the desiccant does its job of protecting the product. Most porous adsorbents, such as silica gel, activated clay or molecular sieves rely upon physical adsorption rather than chemical adsorption to accomplish their function.