gen-define-evapotranspiration-and-give-one-short-worked-example-2e41

Define evapotranspiration and give one short worked example.

# Evapotranspiration **Evapotranspiration (ET)** is the combined process of water loss from: 1. **Evaporation** - water vapor leaving from soil and water surfaces 2. **Transpiration** - water vapor released through plant leaves (stomata) It represents the total water transferred from land to the atmosphere and is typically measured in mm/day or mm/year. ## Worked Example **Problem:** A corn field has the following daily water losses: - Evaporation from soil: 2 mm/day - Transpiration from corn plants: 5 mm/day Calculate the daily evapotranspiration. **Solution:** ``` ET = Evaporation + Transpiration ET = 2 mm/day + 5 mm/day ET = 7 mm/day ``` **Answer:** The evapotranspiration rate is **7 mm/day**, meaning the equivalent of 7 mm depth of water is lost from the field to the atmosphere each day. This information helps farmers determine irrigation needs.