Infiltration is the process by which water moves where?

• A. Into the soil from the surface.
• B. Water evaporation from leaves.
• C. Water runoff along the surface.
• D. Water precipitation into the atmosphere.

Answer: (A)

Water moving from the surface into the soil is infiltration. This process happens when rain or surface water seep downward, filling the pore spaces in the soil and sometimes percolating further to recharge groundwater. The rate and extent of infiltration depend on factors like soil texture and structure, how wet the soil already is, vegetation, and how intense the rainfall is. This is different from evaporation, where water turns into vapor and rises into the air; and from runoff, where water flows across the surface rather than soaking in. Precipitation relates to water entering the surface from the atmosphere, while infiltration is about moving from the surface into the soil, not into the atmosphere.