Filtration separates solids from fluids by passing the fluid through a filter medium. The surface that solids deposit on during filtration is called the filter medium. An ideal filter medium can deliver a clear filtrate at a suitable rate, filter even negligible amounts, be inert, and not absorb dissolved materials. For sterile filtration, the pore size must not exceed the dimensions of bacteria or spores. The rate of filtration is inversely proportional to the specific surface area of the filter bed and directly proportional to the surface area of the filter medium.