Which term denotes soil spaces below depth filled with water?

• A. Water Table
• B. Aquifers
• C. Zone of Saturation
• D. Freshwater Shortages

Answer: (C)

The key idea is groundwater pore spaces and saturation. In soils and rocks, some pore spaces are filled with air, while others can be filled with water. The zone of saturation is the portion below the water table where every pore space is filled with water. The water table marks the upper limit of that saturated zone; above it lies the unsaturated (vadose) zone where pores contain both air and water. An aquifer is a permeable layer that stores and transmits groundwater, but the term that specifically denotes soil spaces below depth filled with water is the zone of saturation. Freshwater shortages aren’t a term for saturated pore spaces.