Porosity, Permeability, Capillarity

Base your answers to questions 1 through 3 on the diagram below, which shows four tubes containing 500 milliliters of sediment labeled A, B, C, and D. Each tube contains well-sorted, loosely packed particles of uniform shape and size and is open at the top. The classification of the sediment in each tube is labeled. Water will be able to infiltrate each of these sediment samples if the sediment is:

• saturated and impermeable

• saturated and permeable

• unsaturated and impermeable

• unsaturated and permeable

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Base your answers to questions 1 through 3 on the diagram below, which shows four tubes containing 500 milliliters of sediment labeled A, B, C, and D. Each tube contains well-sorted, loosely packed particles of uniform shape and size and is open at the top. The classification of the sediment in each tube is labeled. Each tube is filled with water to the top of the sediments and the tube is covered with a fine screen. The tubes are then tipped upside down so the water can drain. In which tube would the sediment retain the most water?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

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

• pebbles

• sand

• silt

• clay

Soil with the greatest porosity has particles that are:

• poorly sorted and densely packed

• poorly sorted and loosely packed

• well sorted and densely packed

• well sorted and loosely packed

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

• low permeability rate

• low infiltration rate

• high porosity

• high capillarity

Which statement best describes the water retention and permeability in the two columns of beads?

• The column with 4-mm beads has greater water retention and permeability.

• The column with 12-mm beads has greater water retention and permeability.

• The column with 4-mm beads has greater water retention and the column with 12-mm beads has greater permeability.

• The column with 12-mm beads has greater water retention and the column with 4-mm beads has greater permeability.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which column contains sediment with an average diameter closest to 0.1 centimeter?

• A

• B

• C

• D

In which sediment will capillary action cause the water from the beaker to rise fastest in the column?

• small pebbles

• large sand

• medium sand

• large silt

In an experiment, the beakers of water were removed and replaced with empty beakers. The sediments were allowed to dry. Then water was poured into each column to compare the permeability of the sediments. The permeability rate of the medium sand sample was shown to be

• less than the silt and pebble samples

• less than the silt sample but more than the pebble sample

• greater than the silt sample but less than the pebble sample

• greater than the silt and pebble samples

Base your answers to questions on the diagram below, 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?

• pebble soil

• pebble-and-sand soil

• conglomerate bedrock

• granite bedrock