Physical Geography - Groundwater Features

Question 1

How is water able to be absorbed by rocks?

Answer 1

Because of their permeability.

Question 2

How is water able to be absorbed by soil?

Answer 2

Soil contains mineral grains with spaces between them.

Question 3

What is another name for groundwater?

Answer 3

• underground water
• subsurface water
• subterranean water

Question 4

Describe porous permeability.

Answer 4

Has tiny holes

Question 5

Describe previous permeability.

Answer 5

Has openings - joints/cracks/fissures

Question 6

What are the three subsurface zones through which groundwater can percolate.⬇️

Answer 6

• Zone of aeration/ zone of non-saturation
• Zone of intermittent saturation
• Zone of permanent saturation

Question 7

Which subsurface zone is saturated at intervals?

Answer 7

Zone of intermittent saturation

Question 8

Which subsurface zone is mostly always above the water table?

Answer 8

Zone of aeration/ zone of non-saturation

Question 9

Which subsurface zone contains air as well as water in its pores?

Answer 9

Zone of aeration/ zone of non-saturation

Question 10

Which subsurface zone stays saturated for the whole year?

Answer 10

Zone of permanent saturation

Question 11

Which subsurface zone is where the water table shifts in response to changes in river levels?

Answer 11

Zone of intermittent saturation

Question 12

Which subsurface zone is above a form of impervious/impermeable rock?

Answer 12

Zone of permanent saturation

Question 13

When the soil is fully saturated it is _____ ______?

Answer 13

water logged

Question 14

Name some features related to groundwater.

Answer 14

Aquifers, Springs, Water table

Question 15

This is a feature:

The point at which water flows from an aquifer to the earth’s surface is?

Answer 15

A spring

Question 16

What is an aquifer?

Answer 16

A body of rock that stores/holds ground water.

Question 17

What is a water table?

Answer 17

The upper level of an underground surface in which the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water.

Question 18

Name one groundwater storage. (that was taught)

Answer 18

The Artesian Basin

Question 19

Describe the Artesian Basin

Answer 19

• it has a synclinal or basin-shaped rock structure
• it stores groundwater and the GW doesn’t move laterally
• it is an aquifer sandwiched between two impermeable rock layers

Question 20

What is a well?

Answer 20

A hole bored into an aquifer

Question 21

What is the name of the well in an artesian basin?

Answer 21

The Artesian Well

Question 22

What affects the formation of an aquifer?

Answer 22

The shape of the rock layer

Question 23

GW is

Reliable

Explain why?

Answer 23

because it is usually available

Question 24

GW is

A natural reservoir

Explain why?

Answer 24

the aquifer that stores the GW is like a dam under the surface

Question 25

GW is

Available throughout the year

Explain why?

Answer 25

• it’s not lost through evaporation
• it takes time for water underground to reach the surface

Question 26

GW is

Used for farming and irrigation

Explain why?

Answer 26

farmers can extract water from aquifers to water their crop

Question 27

GW is

High quality

Explain why?

Answer 27

it has added minerals

Question 28

GW is

High in purity

Explain why?

Answer 28

the rocks act like a strainer to filter the water

Question 29

GW is

A source of energy

Explain why?

Answer 29

geo-thermal energy underground

When GW gets hot it’s used as steam/hot water for industrial purposes

Question 30

GW is

Useful to the economy

Explain why?

Answer 30

we use it for domestic purposes and it is one of the few water bodies where we can get drinking water

it accounts for 97% of global freshwater resources