Groundwater

Front

What is groundwater?

Back

Water that is stored beneath the Earth's surface in soil and rock formations.

Front

What is an aquifer?

Back

A geological formation that can store and transmit water, allowing it to be extracted for use.

Front

What is the water table?

Back

The top of the saturated zone in an aquifer, below which all spaces are filled with water.

Front

What is capillarity?

Back

The ability of water to move through soil and rock due to surface tension, affecting how water is retained in the soil.

Front

Which type of soil has the highest capillarity?

Back

Clay, due to its small particle size and high surface area.

Front

What factors can lower the water table?

Back

High rates of evaporation and transpiration, and excessive water extraction.

Front

What is porosity?

Back

The measure of the void spaces in a material, expressed as a percentage of the total volume.

Front

What is permeability?

Back

The ability of a material to transmit water through its pores.

Front

How do porosity and permeability differ?

Back

Porosity refers to the amount of space available for water, while permeability refers to how easily water can flow through that space.

Front

What is the saturated zone?

Back

The area in an aquifer where all the pore spaces are filled with water.