Groundwater Flashcards
What is groundwater?
Water found in pores of soil, sediment, & narrow fractures in bedrock
What is the importance of groundwater?
Dissolves rock
What is the zone of saturation?
All of the open spaces in sediment and rock are completely water filled
What is a water table?
Upper limit of zone of saturation
What is the zone of aeration?
Area above water table which includes mostly air
What is porosity?
The percentage of a material’s volume that is pore space
What is permeability?
The measure of the interconnectedness of pore spaces
What is an aquitard?
impermeable layer, prevents water movement (ex. clay)
What is an aquifer?
permeable rock, transmits water freely (ex. sand)
How does groundwater move?
Gravity
How does groundwater erode and deposit material?
When soluble rock is exposed at the surface, water can attack minerals chemically and become a significant erosional agent
