Author Question: Which aquifer would be most effective in purifying polluted groundwater: coarse gravel, sand, or ... (Read 48 times)

brutforce · **on:** Jul 14, 2018

Which aquifer would be most effective in purifying polluted groundwater: coarse gravel, sand, or cavernous limestone? Explain.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

In the process of scientific inquiry, a theory is best defined as:

A) a best guess that may explain how something works, but is as yet untested and unproven.
B) the initial formulation of an idea based on a few observed facts.
C) a hypothesis that has been extensively tested and is generally accepted by the scientific community.
D) a final solution to a scientific problem that is proven correct and will never be disproven.

durant1234 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 14, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The slower that groundwater moves through an aquifer, the cleaner it will become. In order to move slowly through an aquifer, there must be porosity and permeability, but it must be constricting enough with fine enough pores that the water transmits at a slow pace. Cavernous limestone is porous and permeable, but the pores are of tremendous size. Gravel is significantly better for this problem than the cavernous limestone; however, water will still move through the pores too quickly to be cleansed. Thus, of the options, sand is the only material that has fine enough pores to have a chance at cleaning the groundwater.

Answer to Question 2

C