Groundwater: Terms and Analysis

Which graph shows the effect of soil permeability on the amount of runoff in an area?

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

A soil sample with a large amount of space between the particles will have a

• High Porosity
• Low permeability rate
• High capillarity
• Low infiltration rate

Flash flooding often occurs in city areas because

• Roads, pavements, and buildings reduce the infiltration of water into the ground
• Ground water storage is usually very large
• unoff decreases during precipitation
• The heat generated by city areas decreases actual evapotranspiration

Which soil-property measurement usually is greater when particles are fine than when particles are coarse?

• Porosity
• Permeability
• Infiltration
• Capillarity

The direct cause of ground water supplies becoming unfit for human use is usually

• An uncontrollable deficit
• Excessive surface runoff and flooding
• Very heavy precipitation
• Contamination of the saturated zone by pollutants

Base your answer to the following question on the diagram, which represents samples of soil and bedrock at Earth’s surface.  The arrows represent possible infiltration of rainwater   Which sample probably has the greatest porosity?

• Granite bedrock
• Pebble-and-sand soil
• Pebble soil
• Conglomerate bedrock

If a rock is compressed and its volume decreases, how will the rock’s density and porosity be affected?

• Density and porosity will both decrease
• Density and porosity will both increase
• Density will increase and porosity will decrease
• Density will decrease and porosity will increase

Which surface soil type has the slowest permeability rate and is most likely to produce flooding?

• Pebbles
• Silt
• Sand
• Clay

The diagram is a cross-sectional view of rain falling on a farm field and then moving to the water table Which word best describes the movement of the rainwater through zone A?

• Saturation
• Runoff
• Precipitation
• Infiltration

Compared to an area of Earth’s surface with gentle slopes, and area with steeper slopes most likely has

• More infiltration and more runoff
• Less infiltration and more runoff
• More infiltration and less runoff
• Less infiltration and less runoff