Adsorbents work by attracting molecules to their surface through various forces such as van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, and hydrogen bonding. This process, known as adsorption, can be either physical (physisorption) or chemical (chemisorption). In physisorption, the adsorbate molecules are held on the surface by weak intermolecular forces, whereas in chemisorption, stronger chemical bonds are formed between the adsorbate and the adsorbent.
