The maximum rate at which soil can absorb rainwater is called its what?

Correct answer: Infiltration capacity

Correct answer: B, infiltration capacity. Infiltration means the entry of water from the ground surface into the soil. Capacity means the greatest rate at which this entry can occur under particular soil and rainfall conditions, usually expressed as a depth of water per unit time. If rainfall intensity is lower than the soil’s infiltration capacity, most or all of the rain may enter the soil. If rainfall intensity becomes greater than that capacity, the extra water remains on the surface and may form runoff. A is wrong because runoff is water flowing over the land, not water entering it. C is wrong because permeability describes how easily a material transmits water, not the maximum surface-absorption rate itself. D is wrong because saturation point describes a water condition, not a rate. Memory cue: infiltration is water going in; runoff is water moving away on the surface.