Title: mean residence time
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - mean residence time
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.M03785
Status: current

Definition
The mean time during which the molecules remain on the surface of the adsorbent, i.e. the mean time interval between impact and desorption.

Related Terms
- adsorbent: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/A00153
- desorption: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/D01620

Source
- PAC, 1976, 46, 71. 'Manual of Symbols and Terminology for Physicochemical Quantities and Units - Appendix II. Definitions, Terminology and Symbols in Colloid and Surface Chemistry. Part II: Heterogeneous Catalysis' on page 79 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197646010071)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/M03785/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/M03785/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/M03785/xml

Citation: Citation: 'mean residence time' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.M03785
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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.
Accessed: 2026-04-19T02:15:20+00:00