Final answer:
The water table is the boundary between the saturated and unsaturated zones, where porosity and permeability of the soil or rock influence groundwater movement.The correct option is a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The water table is the boundary between the unsaturated and saturated zones. This boundary is where the soil and rock pores transition from being filled with air (above the water table) to being filled with water (below the water table). The water table mimics the topography, meaning it rises with hills and drops with valleys, often flowing into streams.
Porosity is a crucial factor that influences the movement of groundwater, referring to the void spaces within rock or soil. Sedimentary rocks, which are formed from well-sorted sediment, typically have high porosity, providing ample space for water to be stored. Conversely, rocks with tight interlocking crystals, like igneous and metamorphic rocks, display low porosity, limiting space for water storage. The porosity of a rock or soil determines its ability to hold water.
Permeability, on the other hand, describes how easily water can pass through a rock or soil. It is closely linked to the porosity since the size and connectivity of the pore spaces affect how water flows through the rock matter. Although osmosis information is related to how water moves through semipermeable membranes, it is not directly related to the characteristics of the water table.