EARTH SCIENCE 9 – 2 What is groundwater?

OBJ: Explain how groundwater collects in soil.

I. PORES & GROUNDWATER - some of the rain or snow that falls to Earth soaks into
the soil.
- water collects in the spaces, or pores, between bits of
rock & soil.
Pores = tiny hole or space.
Groundwater = water that collects in pores in soil and sinks into the
ground.
- about 22% of Earth’s fresh water supply is stored
underground.

II. PROPERTIES AFFECTING - different kinds of rock & soil can hold different
GROUNDWATER amounts of groundwater.
- loosely packed – holds a lot of ground water.
- tightly packed – holds very little.

III. MOVEMENT of - moves easily through rocks & soil with large
GROUNDWATER connected pores.
- if pores not connected water cannot seep deep into
the ground.

IV. THE WATER TABLE - ground water will eventually reach bedrock, where it
almost stops.
Water Table = upper layer of saturated rock & soil.
- soil density does not let all the water sink down to
the water table.
- Some of it stays in the topsoil, and is used by plants
and trees