Ground Water

Soil and rock act as giant sponges because they are full of tiny pores and cracks that hold underground water.  These small pores allow the water to infiltrate and collect underground.   Rain and snowmelt that infiltrates the ground is called

• backflow
• groundwater
• spongate
• infiltrate

What concept does this picture illustrate?

• convection currents
• permeability
• presence of igneous rock in the Piedmont
• formation of sandstone in the Coastal Plain

How does water get into the ground?

• evaporation
• infiltration
• precipitation
• condensation

How does water get into the atmosphere?

• precipitation

• evapotranspiration

• infiltration

• condensation

Water can move through soil because of the soil's _______________.

• permeability
• not well-sorted materials
• impermeability
• porosity that is low

When does groundwater become surface water?

• when rock at Earth's surface has high porosity
• when the zone of saturation is lowered
• when a new lake or stream is formed
• when the water table intersects Earth's surface

Soil can hold water because of its _________.

• permeability
• well-sorted materials
• porosity
• poorly sorted material

Where is most fresh water found on Earth?

• oceans
• atmosphere
• glaciers, polar ice caps
• lakes and rivers

What is the upper boundary, or surface, of groundwater ?

• Channel
• Water table 
• surface 

What is   A body of rock or sediment that stores groundwater and allows it to flow?

• rock 
• water table 
• aquifer