He is absorbed in general physics (5)
I believe the answer is:
ralph
'he' is the definition.
'absorbed in general physics' is the wordplay.
'absorbed in' indicates a hidden word.
'RALPH' is hidden within 'general physics'.
'is' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for ralph that I've seen before include "Boy's name" , "man" , "American poet and essayist" , "Chap" , "N Waldo Emerson, nineteenth century US poet" .)