The property of the soil mass which permits the seepage of water through its interconnecting voids, is called
- ACapillarity
- BPorosity
- CPermeabilityCorrect
- DNone of the above
Solution
Concept
Permeability property of soil mass
Formula
NONE
Step-by-step solution
1. Soil mass contains interconnected voids that facilitate the passage of fluids. 2. Permeability is defined as the characteristic of soil that permits water seepage through these interconnected voids. 3. Capillarity refers to water movement due to surface tension, while porosity measures total void volume. Answer: C
Explanation
Permeability is the specific hydraulic property that allows water to flow through the interconnected void spaces within a soil mass. While porosity indicates the total amount of void space present, permeability describes the ease with which fluid actually moves through those voids. Therefore, water seepage through soil is governed by permeability.
Why the other options are wrong
A) Capillarity is the upward movement of water through soil pores driven by surface tension. B) Porosity measures the relative volume of voids, not the ability of water to flow through them D) Option C is correct.
Shortcut
Permeability = Permitting flow through interconnected soil voids.
Common mistake
Confusing permeability with porosity, which measures total void volume rather than the ability to transmit water.
Correct answer: C) Permeability