100% correct solutions.
Plant Available Water - ANSWER water in soil that can be readily absorbed by plant
roots. Difference between the field capacity and the permanent wilting point.
Field Capacity - ANSWER The maximum amount of water held by soil particles
against the force of gravity
Permanent wilting point - ANSWER the minimum amount of water in the soil that
the plant requires not to wilt
Hydraulic conductivity - ANSWER the ability of a medium to conduct water (ft/sec)
Water potential - ANSWER The amount of work needed to move water from a
reference pool to another point
Hydraulic gradient - ANSWER the slope of the water table or potentiometric surface
confined aquifer - ANSWER an aquifer surrounded by a layer of impermeable rock
or clay that impedes water flow
unconfined aquifer - ANSWER aquifer in which there is no impermeable layer
restricting the upper surface of the zone of saturation - pressure at water table = atm
Water table - ANSWER The upper level of the saturated zone of groundwater
potentiometric surface - ANSWER The potential level to which water will rise above
the water level in an aquifer in a well that penetrates a confined aquifer. Unconfined
will be the same as the water table.
Saturated conditions - ANSWER All of the pores of the soil are full, water pressure
is zero at the surface of the water table and increases with soil depth - positive water
potential
Unsaturated conditions - ANSWER Water is held under tension, water pressure
decreases with increasing distance above the water table - negative water potential
aquifer - ANSWER a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit
groundwater.
perched aquifer - ANSWER Localized zone of saturation above the main water
table created by an underlying layer of impermeable material.
Flowing (artesian) well - ANSWER confined aquifer containing groundwater under
positive pressure, causing water level in the well to rise to hydrostatic (fluid at rest)
equilibrium
Infiltration - ANSWER Downward ENTRY of water through soil.
, NRES 251 Exam 2, NRES 251 Exam 1 With
100% correct solutions.
Percolation - ANSWER The downward movement of water through soil and rock
due to gravity.
Surface seals (crusts) - ANSWER thin layer of fine particles deposited onto the
surface of a soil that greatly reduces the permeability of the soil surface to the water
Recharge area - ANSWER the primary method through which water enters an
aquifer - water percolates and moves downward from surface to groundwater to
replenish groundwater
Discharge area - ANSWER area at the stream or lake to which groundwater is
flowing.
Capillary rise - ANSWER water rises against gravity and is held in place by surface
tension, therefore exerting tensile force on the soil, resulting in negative pressure of
water.
Wetting - ANSWER the ability of a liquid to wet or intimately contact a solid surface.
Water beading on a waxed car is an example of poor wetting
Darcys law - ANSWER An equation stating that groundwater discharge depends on
the hydraulic gradient, hydraulic conductivity, and cross-sectional area of an aquifer.
Flux density - ANSWER potential rate of water movement
Plant available water - ANSWER the difference between field capacity and
permanent wilting point
hue - ANSWER a particular shade of a given color (usually red or yellow in soil)
value - ANSWER The lightness or darkness of a color - 0 is black
chroma - ANSWER the intensity or strength of a color
What does soil color indicate? - ANSWER - organic matter content
- water content
- presence and oxidation
Water cycle steps - ANSWER Evaporation, condensation, precipitation,
transpiration, runoff, infiltration
Physical properties of water - ANSWER - Polarity
- Hydrogen bonding
- cohesion, adhesion, surface tension
Cohesion - ANSWER Attraction between molecules of the SAME substance