Term: absorptance, \(\alpha\) https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00035 Definition: Ratio of the absorbed to the incident radiant power. Also called absorption factor. When α ≤ 1, α ≈ Ae, where Ae is the Napierian absorbance. Related Terms: 1) radiant power (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05046). 2) absorption factor (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00039). 3) absorbance (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00028). Source: Green Book, 2nd ed., p. 32 (https://goldbook.iupac.org/files/pdf/green_book_2ed.pdf) Citation: 'absorptance, \(\alpha\)' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00035 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.