Chapter 14- Groundwater – Vocabulary
Write each definition IN YOUR OWN WORDS and then draw a picture to illustrate the word.
Aquifer – A permeable layer of rock and sediment that stores and carries groundwater in enough
quantities to supply wells.
Artesian formation – An arrangement of a permeable layer of rock sandwiched between two layers of
impermeable rock.
Capillary action – A phenomenon whereby groundwater rises because the water molecules are
attracted to soil particles.
Cavern- A large underground chamber.
Deficit – The condition in which stored soil water is gone and the need for moisture is greater than the
rainfall.
Geyser – A hot spring that intermittently shoots columns of hot water and steam into the air.
Groundwater – Water that enters and is stored in the ground.
Karst topography – Topography characterized by sinkholes, sinkhole ponds, lost rivers, and
underground drainage; forms in areas with bedrock make of calcite, dolomite, or other minerals that
dissolve easily.
Mineral deposit – A deposit that is left behind when groundwater that contains mineral cools or
evaporates.
Ordinary well – A well that is dug or drilled down to the water table.
Permeability – The rate at which water or other liquids passes through the pore spaces of a rock.
Porosity – The percent of a material’s volume that is pore space.
Recharge – The refilling of soil water supply at times when plants need little moisture.
Spring – A small stream of water whose source is groundwater that has reached the surface.
Surplus – The condition of having rainfall greater than the need for moisture when the soil is already
saturated.
Usage – The condition where plants draw water from the soil at times when the need for moisture is
greater than the rainfall.
Water budget – Describes the income and the spending of water in a region.
Water table – The surface below which the ground is saturated with water.