Geçirgen

Geçirgen is a Turkish term used to describe a material, membrane, or interface that allows the passage of fluids, gases, or solutes. In scientific and technical literature it is commonly used to express permeability or semipermeability, often in contexts such as biology, geology, environmental science, and engineering. A geçirgen membrane (geçirgen membran) denotes a semipermeable barrier that permits certain small molecules to pass while restricting larger ones, a concept central to osmosis and diffusion.

In biology, geçirgen properties of cell and organelle membranes regulate the transport of water, ions, and other small molecules. Permeability depends on factors such as molecule size, polarity, charge, and the presence of transport proteins or channels. The term helps distinguish between membranes that are selectively permeable and those that are more permissive.

In geology and hydrology, geçirgen describes rocks and soils’ capacity to transmit water or other fluids. Permeability is often quantified by coefficients such as hydraulic conductivity or intrinsic permeability, determined through laboratory tests or field measurements. Materials with high geçirgenity support rapid fluid flow, while low geçirgen materials restrict movement.

Etymology and usage notes: geçirgen derives from geçirmek, meaning to let pass, with the suffix -gen indicating a characteristic or property. The term is widely understood in Turkish scientific discourse as the standard counterpart to the English “permeable” and its derivatives, including semipermeable and permeability.

See also: permeability, semipermeable membrane, osmosis, diffusion.