Water seeping into the ground
Rain falls on a field. Some of it disappears into the ground. Where does it go?
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The idea
Step 1 of 5
- Rain falls on the ground.
- It seeps (soaks slowly) down through soil and rock. This is infiltration.
- It fills the gaps of an underground layer. This layer is an aquifer.
- A well reaches the aquifer. We draw water from it.
- A recharge pit lets rain soak in and refill the aquifer.
The rain soaks down and fills an underground layer.
Gravel is made of small stones. Gravel lets water through fastest. Sand is slower. Clay is slowest. Wide gaps let water through faster. These rules are for packed ground.
Packed ground is pressed down firmly.
Water stored in an aquifer is groundwater. Pumping means taking water out with a pump. Pumping out more water than rain refills can empty the aquifer.