absorption-adsorption
"Absorption/adsorption is like a sponge wiping water off a desktop. The water is absorbed off the desktop, and adsorbed into the sponge."
"A colleague made these analogies. Absorption is like pouring water over bread-the bread soaks up the water and changes in character. Adsorption is like spreading butter on bread-it sticks to the surface and cannot be entirely removed, but neither the bread nor the butter changes in character except at the surface."
METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.