What is specific yield?

What is specific yield?

• A. The volume of water in a saturated soil
• B. The quantity of water yielded by a unit volume of saturated rock or soil
• C. The gravitational force required to move water through soil
• D. The amount of water trapped in frozen soil

Answer: (B)

Specific yield refers to the quantity of water that can be extracted from a unit volume of saturated rock or soil due to gravitational forces. It is a measure of the ability of a porous material to transmit and store water, with specific yield representing the ratio of the volume of water that can drain by gravity to the volume of the saturated material. This property is crucial in aquifer studies, as it helps in assessing how much water can be potentially withdrawn for use. Understanding specific yield is important for water resource management, as it influences the sustainability of groundwater extraction. It is distinct from other concepts like the volumetric water content, which indicates the total amount of water within a soil, or the gravitational force, which does not relate directly to the property of the soil or rock itself in terms of water yield. Therefore, the precise definition of specific yield aligns closely with the description that highlights the quantity of water yielded from a saturated medium, making it the correct choice in this context.

Specific yield refers to the quantity of water that can be extracted from a unit volume of saturated rock or soil due to gravitational forces. It is a measure of the ability of a porous material to transmit and store water, with specific yield representing the ratio of the volume of water that can drain by gravity to the volume of the saturated material. This property is crucial in aquifer studies, as it helps in assessing how much water can be potentially withdrawn for use.

Understanding specific yield is important for water resource management, as it influences the sustainability of groundwater extraction. It is distinct from other concepts like the volumetric water content, which indicates the total amount of water within a soil, or the gravitational force, which does not relate directly to the property of the soil or rock itself in terms of water yield. Therefore, the precise definition of specific yield aligns closely with the description that highlights the quantity of water yielded from a saturated medium, making it the correct choice in this context.