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.
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 groundwater reaches freezing temperature
and turns into ice.
All of these factors can potentially cause a well to hold less water each year.
The aquifer has slowly become dry over time.
The correct response is: The aquifer has slowly become dry over time.
To understand why a well might hold less water each year, we need to consider the concept of an aquifer. An aquifer is a layer of permeable rock or sediment that contains water. Wells are typically drilled or dug into aquifers to extract water.
Over time, an aquifer can become dry due to various factors. One common reason is excessive water extraction from the aquifer. If more water is pumped out of the aquifer than can be replenished naturally through rainfall or other sources, the water level in the aquifer will drop, causing the well to hold less water each year.
Other factors, such as changes in climate patterns or geological activities like earthquakes, can also impact the amount of water in an aquifer. For example, if an earthquake shifts the aquifer to a new spot or alters the flow of underground water, the well may receive less water.
In the case of the rocks becoming harder, this would not directly cause a well to hold less water. The hardness of the rocks may affect the ease of drilling or water flow, but it does not directly impact the amount of water stored in the aquifer.
Similarly, the groundwater reaching freezing temperature would not be a direct cause for a well to hold less water. Freezing temperatures can affect the movement and flow of water, but it doesn't necessarily result in a decrease in the overall water availability in the aquifer.
Therefore, the most likely reason for a well to hold less water each year is that the aquifer has slowly become dry over time due to excessive water extraction or other factors affecting the natural replenishment of the aquifer.