16.1 Groundwater

Front

What is a recharge zone?

Back

A recharge zone is an area where water from the Earth's surface can enter an aquifer.

Front

What is the difference between porosity and permeability?

Back

Porosity refers to the amount of empty space in a material, while permeability is the ability of that material to allow fluids to pass through it.

Front

What is the zone of aeration?

Back

The zone of aeration is the upper zone of groundwater that includes the film of topsoil water, a dry area, and a capillary fringe layer.

Front

How does porosity affect permeability?

Back

Typically, the more porous a material is, the more permeable it is.

Front

What is an aquifer?

Back

An aquifer is a geological formation that can store and transmit groundwater.

Front

What is the water table?

Back

The water table is the upper surface of the zone of saturation, where the soil or rock is fully saturated with water.

Front

What is the zone of saturation?

Back

The zone of saturation is the area below the water table where all the pores in the soil or rock are filled with water.

Front

What does it mean for a substrate to be porous?

Back

A porous substrate has spaces or holes that can hold water or other fluids.

Front

What is the significance of the capillary fringe?

Back

The capillary fringe is a layer above the water table where water is held in small pores due to capillary action.

Front

What factors affect the permeability of a material?

Back

Permeability is affected by the size, shape, and arrangement of the particles in the material.