Final answer:
Darcy's Law (Q = K * (A * (h1 - h2) / L)) is used to assess permeability, with hydraulic conductivity units of m/s. Positive flux indicates substance movement away, while negative implies movement toward a reference point.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation useful in measuring the quantitative assessment of permeability is Darcy's Law. Darcy's Law is represented as Q = K * (A * (h1 - h2) / L), where Q is the flow rate, K is the hydraulic conductivity, A is the area, h1 and h2 are the hydraulic heads at points 1 and 2, and L is the distance between points 1 and 2. The units often used for hydraulic conductivity in Darcy's Law are meters per second (m/s). When discussing flux, which is the flow rate per unit area, its units are commonly volume per time per area, such as m³/(s*m²); this can be simplified to m/s.
Positive flux implies that the substance is moving away from the reference point, while negative flux suggests movement toward the reference point. In terms of groundwater flow, positive flux could mean water is moving away from a recharge zone, whereas negative flux could indicate water moving towards a well or discharge area.