chapter27.3 Flashcards
infiltration
the process by which water enters Earth and becomes groundwater below the surface
water table
the upper boundary of the saturated zone
aquifer
a rock unit that can transfer water through its pore spaces
porosity
a material is the percentage of the material’s total volume that is pore space
What percentage of water on Earth is salt water?
97%
what percentage of water on Earth is fresh water?
3%
What is the majority of freshwater found?
in glaciers
Where is the smaller percentage of freshwater found?
- lakes
- rivers
- groundwater
what is precipitation?
- rain
- snow
- hail
what is runoff?
water running off the land surface
what is transpiration?
when plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves
what is evaporation?
when water enters the atmosphere as water vapor
what is condensation?
when water vapor collides with other water vapor molecules to form water droplets
what is the water cycle?
water on land the enters atmosphere and comes back to the land
what is an unsaturated zone for groundwater storage?
a porous area where water easily passes through
what is a saturated zone for ground water storage?
beneath the unsaturated zone, where water completely fills the pore spaces
what is a water table?
the upper boundary of the saturated zone
what does it mean if sediment is permeable?
the more permeable the material is the easier water can pass through the ground
what is aquifer?
a rock unit that can transfer water through its pore space
what is the name of the Great Plains Aquifer?
Ogallala Aquifer
how many states does the Great Plains Aquifer run through?
8 states
what are the names of the states that the Great Plains Aquifer runs through?
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
- Nebraska
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Oklahoma
- New Mexico
- Texas
what is an aquitard?
keeps water confined
how are water springs formed?
springs form where the water table naturally meets Earths surface
what is an artesian well?
drilled into a pressurized aquifer
what is a cone of depression?
the direction the water flows towards the well
