Groundwater

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Groundwater

Groundwater (pronunciation: /ˈɡraʊndˌwɔːtər/) is the water present beneath Earth's surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations.

Etymology

The term "groundwater" is a compound of the words "ground" and "water". The term "ground" comes from the Old English "grund", meaning the bottom surface of a body of water. The term "water" comes from the Old English "wæter", which in turn comes from Proto-Germanic "*watōr".

Definition

Groundwater is the water located beneath the Earth's surface in soil pore spaces and the fractures of lithosphere. It originates from rain or other precipitation that is filtered down through the surface soil and rock, a process known as recharge. Groundwater is a critical part of our planet’s water cycle and makes up about 30% of our world's fresh water supply.

Related Terms

  • Aquifer: A body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater.
  • Water table: The upper surface of the zone of saturation, above which water is not saturated.
  • Recharge: The process by which groundwater is replenished.
  • Hydrogeology: The area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust.
  • Permeability (earth sciences): The measure of the ability of a material (such as an aquifer) to transmit fluids.
  • Porosity: The quality of being porous, or full of tiny holes. Liquids go right through things that have porosity.

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