Permeability (earth sciences)
Permeability (Earth Sciences)
Permeability (pronunciation: per-me-a-bil-ity) in the context of Earth Sciences, refers to the ability of a porous medium to allow fluids to pass through it. The term is often used in the fields of Hydrogeology, Petroleum Geology, and Civil Engineering.
Etymology
The term 'Permeability' originates from the Latin word 'permeabilis', which means 'passable' or 'penetrable'. It was first used in the context of Earth Sciences in the late 19th century.
Definition
In Earth Sciences, permeability is a measure of the ability of a porous material (like soil or rock) to allow fluids (like water, oil, or gas) to pass through it. It is typically measured in the unit 'darcy', named after the French scientist Henry Darcy, who first described the flow of water through sand.
Related Terms
- Porosity: The measure of void or empty spaces in a material where fluid can be stored.
- Hydraulic conductivity: A property of a porous material's ability to transmit water.
- Darcy's Law: A formula that describes the flow of a fluid through a porous medium.
See Also
References
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