GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -If precipitation is greater than infiltration capacity, surface runoff occurs. If precipitation is less than the infiltration capacity, all moisture is absorbed. When a soil has been saturated by water then allowed to drain by gravity, the soil is said to be holding its field capacity of water.

Detailed explanation-2: -It is denoted as fp and its unit is cm/hr. Hence, if the intensity of rainfall is more than the infiltration capacity then, infiltration rate will be equal to infiltration capacity (fp) and rest of the amount of rainfall will be in the form of runoff.

Detailed explanation-3: -If the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration rate, runoff will usually occur unless there is some physical barrier.

Detailed explanation-4: -Infiltration begins when precipitation reaches the land surface. Runoff begins when the precipitation rate exceeds the infiltration rate, and retention and surface stor-age are filled.

Detailed explanation-5: -Surface runoff is affected by both meteorological factors and the physical geology and topography of the land. Only about a third of the precipitation that falls over land runs off into streams and rivers and is returned to the oceans.