What term describes the movement of chemicals into a plant, animal, or person?

The term that describes the movement of chemicals into a plant, animal, or person is absorption. This process occurs when substances, such as nutrients or chemicals, are taken up by tissues, primarily through cell membranes. In plants, for example, absorption can happen in the roots where water and minerals enter the plant's vascular system. In animals, absorption typically refers to the uptake of substances in the digestive system or through the skin.

Understanding absorption is vital in pest control because it influences how pesticides interact with target organisms. For instance, when applying chemicals in a pest control scenario, knowing how substances are absorbed can affect the application method and the effectiveness of the chemical against pests.

Infiltration refers more to the movement of water or other liquids through soil or other media rather than into an organism. Contamination refers to the introduction of harmful substances to a medium but does not directly address the uptake into organisms. Penetration involves a physical barrier being breached but does not specifically describe the assimilation of substances into living tissues. Thus, absorption is the most accurate term for the process in question.