What does it mean to 'permeate' in the context of substances?

In the context of substances, 'permeate' refers to the process of a substance penetrating or spreading throughout another material. This can involve the movement of particles through various mediums, such as liquids, gases, or solids. When something permeates, it moves through the pores or spaces within another substance, leading to a distributed presence throughout that material.

For example, when water permeates soil, it moves through the gaps between soil particles, saturating the area and reaching different depths. This definition emphasizes the action of spreading or infusing, which aligns perfectly with the term 'permeate' rather than merely mixing, evaporating, or dissolving. The other terms describe different processes: mixing involves combining substances uniformly without the specific connotation of penetrating, while evaporating and dissolving involve changes in state or the breakdown of substances rather than their distribution throughout another material.