In chemistry and other physical sciences, percolation is a type of filtering.

In other processes and systems

An abstract mathematical model of percolation can be applied to other processes, which are then also called percolation, that share the mathematical description in common with the filtering process. For that abstract treatment, see percolation theory.

That treatment also has application in dynamical systems, which can change of state or phase above or below a critical threshold.

Examples can be found not only in physical phenomena, but also in biological and ecological ones (evolution), and also in economic and social ones (see diffusion of innovation)

See also: self-organization self-organized criticality