Acoustic absorption refers to the process by which a material, structure, or object takes in
sound energy when
sound waves are encountered, as opposed to
reflecting the energy. Part of the absorbed energy is transformed into
heat and part is transmitted through the absorbing body. The energy transformed into heat is said to have been 'lost'.
When sound from a loudspeaker collides with the walls of a room part of the sound's energy is
reflected, part is transmitted, and part is absorbed into the walls. As the waves travel through the wall they deform the material thereof (just like they deformed the air before). This deformation causes mechanical losses via conversion of part of the sound energy into heat, resulting in
acoustic attenuation, mostly due to the wall's viscosity. Similar attenuation mechanisms apply for the air and any other
medium through which sound travels.
The fraction of sound absorbed is governed by the
acoustic impedances of both media and is a function of frequency and the incident angle. Size and shape can influence the sound wave's behavior if they interact with its wavelength, giving rise to
wave phenomena such as
standing waves and
diffraction.