Question 8 of 12intermediate💡 UnderstandLong Answer3 marks

Explain how water seeps through the surface of the Earth and gets stored as groundwater.

Correct Answer

Water seeps through the surface of the Earth through a process called infiltration.

When rainwater falls on the Earth's surface, it flows into ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans, or seeps into the ground through soil and rocks.

The rate of seepage depends on the size of spaces between particles. Water seeps fastest through gravel (which has wider spaces between particles), slower through sand, and slowest through clay (which has very small spaces).

As water seeps down through layers of soil and rocks, it gets stored in the pore spaces of sediments and the openings in rocks beneath the surface. These underground layers of sediments and rocks that store water in their pore spaces are called aquifers.

This stored water, known as groundwater, can be extracted by digging wells or drilling bore wells into aquifers. The water may be located from a few metres to hundreds of metres below the ground, depending on the location.

Exercise: Let Us Enhance Our Learning | Q: 9 | (Page Page 15)
For More Understanding

Explanation

The chapter explains in section 7.4.1: 'This process of surface water seeping through soil and rocks is called infiltration. Water can infiltrate more readily if the spaces between soil and rock particles are wider, open, and interconnected... The water that seeps through gets stored in the pore spaces of sediments and the openings in rocks beneath the surface as groundwater. The underground layers of sediments and rocks that store water in pore spaces are called aquifers.'

Solution Steps

  1. Water seeps through the Earth's surface through a process called infiltration

  2. Rainwater either flows into water bodies or seeps into the ground through soil and rocks

  3. The rate of seepage depends on the size of spaces between particles

  4. Gravel allows fastest seepage (wider spaces), sand is slower, clay is slowest (very small spaces)

  5. Water gets stored in pore spaces of sediments and openings in rocks beneath the surface

  6. Underground layers that store water in pore spaces are called aquifers

  7. Groundwater can be extracted by digging wells or drilling bore wells into aquifers

  8. Groundwater depth varies from a few metres to hundreds of metres below ground

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