A laboratory test on a sample from an aquifer revealed a porosity of 3...
Answer:
Porosity and Specific Yield
Porosity refers to the percentage of the total volume of a rock or soil that is composed of voids or openings. On the other hand, specific yield is the ratio of the volume of water that can be extracted from an aquifer by gravity drainage to the total volume of the aquifer.
Relationship between Porosity and Specific Yield
Porosity and specific yield are related but not the same. Porosity is a measure of the space available for water storage, while specific yield is a measure of how much of that stored water can be removed under natural conditions. Therefore, specific yield is always less than or equal to porosity.
Answer to the Question
Given that the porosity of the aquifer is 35%, the specific yield of the aquifer will be less than 0.35. It is not equal to or greater than 0.35 because specific yield is always less than or equal to porosity, but never greater than porosity. Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.
Conclusion
Porosity and specific yield are important parameters in hydrogeology that are used to describe the characteristics of aquifers. While porosity is a measure of the space available for water storage, specific yield is a measure of how much of that stored water can be removed under natural conditions. It is important to understand the relationship between the two parameters to properly characterize and manage groundwater resources.