What might cause a well to hold less water each year?(1 point)
Responses
The rocks in the well become harder.
The rocks in the well become harder.
The groundwater reaches freezing temperature.
The groundwater reaches freezing temperature.
An earthquake shifted the aquifer to a new spot.
An earthquake shifted the aquifer to a new spot.
The aquifer has slowly become dry over time.
The aquifer has slowly become dry over time.
The aquifer has slowly become dry over time.
The correct answer is: The aquifer has slowly become dry over time.
To determine what might cause a well to hold less water each year, we need to consider possible factors that could affect the availability of water in an aquifer.
1. The rocks in the well becoming harder: While it is true that rocks can undergo changes over time, such as mineralization or lithification, this is unlikely to directly impact the amount of water a well can hold. Harder rocks may affect the permeability of the aquifer, but this alone would not cause a continual reduction in water levels.
2. The groundwater reaching freezing temperature: Freezing of groundwater can potentially cause a decrease in water availability, but this is more applicable in regions with cold climates and specific hydrogeological conditions. Generally, freezing temperatures would have a localized and seasonal effect rather than a continuous year-over-year impact on the well's water levels.
3. An earthquake shifting the aquifer to a new spot: While earthquakes can cause changes to the geological formations, including aquifers, an aquifer being shifted to a new spot would likely result in either the well tapping into a different aquifer altogether or becoming disconnected from the aquifer it was originally accessing. This could lead to a sudden drop in water level, but it is not a gradual reduction over time as stated in the question.
4. The aquifer slowly becoming dry over time: This is the most plausible explanation among the options provided. Aquifers can be over-exploited through excessive pumping of water, leading to a depletion of the water source. Long-term reliance on an aquifer without sufficient recharge can result in a decreased water supply for wells over time.
Therefore, the correct answer is that the aquifer has slowly become dry over time, which can cause a well to hold less water each year.