What happens when the pressure from the water in an artesian well is tapped?

When the pressure from the water in an artesian well is tapped, the water naturally rises to the height of the aquifer. This occurs due to the principle of hydraulic head, where the water is under pressure because of the elevation difference between the recharge area and the well.

In an artesian well, water is confined under pressure between impermeable layers of rock or sediment. When the well is drilled into this confined aquifer, the internal pressure forces the water upward, sometimes even above the surface level.

The other options describe processes or outcomes that do not occur in the same manner as the correct answer. While water could potentially evaporate in an open system, this does not directly relate to the action of tapping the pressure in an artesian well. Water level decrease could happen but is usually gradual and not the immediate result of tapping the pressure. Similarly, the discharge temperature largely remains at the ambient temperature unless specific geothermal conditions are at play or heat exchange occurs during the flow. Thus, the key characteristic of an artesian well is that the water rises naturally due to pressure when tapped, which is why the statement is accurate.