Which term denotes soil that is at full water capacity and cannot hold more water?

Which term denotes soil that is at full water capacity and cannot hold more water?

• A. Infiltration capacity
• B. Saturated
• C. Permeability
• D. Discharge

Answer: (B)

Saturation describes the soil being fully filled with water. When the pore spaces between soil particles contain water to the point that there’s no air left, the soil has reached its full water capacity and cannot store more water in those pores at that moment. Any extra water tends to move as runoff or downward drainage rather than being stored in the pore spaces. Terms like infiltration capacity and permeability relate to how water moves through soil, not this immediate water-filled state, and discharge refers to water leaving the system. So the best term for soil at full water capacity is saturated.

Saturation describes the soil being fully filled with water. When the pore spaces between soil particles contain water to the point that there’s no air left, the soil has reached its full water capacity and cannot store more water in those pores at that moment. Any extra water tends to move as runoff or downward drainage rather than being stored in the pore spaces. Terms like infiltration capacity and permeability relate to how water moves through soil, not this immediate water-filled state, and discharge refers to water leaving the system. So the best term for soil at full water capacity is saturated.