Question

The three important controls of how quickly water flows through rocks are the porosity of the materials, the permeability of the materials, and the:

A) Temperature of the water
B) Depth of the bedrock
C) Pressure of the surrounding atmosphere
D) Position of the groundwater

Answer 1

The correct answer to the question is the position of the groundwater (option D), which affects how quickly water flows through rocks by influencing the gradient of the water table.

Step-by-step explanation:

The three important controls of how quickly water flows through rocks are porosity of the materials, the permeability of the materials, and the gradient or slope of the groundwater system.

Porosity is the measure of open or void spaces within the rock, while permeability is the ability to transport fluids, depending on the porosity and the connectivity of these open spaces. Gradient influences the movement as it provides the driving force for groundwater flow. Therefore, the correct answer is the position of the groundwater (option D), which refers to the gradient or slope of the water table that affects the rate of water flow through the aquifer system.