What is Percolation?

Percolation is when something moves through tiny spaces, like water moving through coffee grounds.

Imagine you have a big cup filled with small rocks, and you pour water over them. At first, the water might just sit on top of the rocks. But as more water comes in, it starts to go through the gaps between the rocks, that’s percolation!

When you make coffee, hot water goes through coffee grounds. The water picks up the flavors from the coffee beans and becomes your favorite drink. That's percolation in action! It's like a game of “who can get through first”, the water trying to squeeze through the tiny spaces between the coffee particles.

Think of a wet sponge. When you press it against a wall, water comes out, that’s also percolation. The water moves through the sponge's little holes and comes out on the other side.

Percolation happens everywhere, in soil, in rocks, even in your coffee cup! It’s just something moving through small spaces, one drop at a time.