Reference no: EM133205548
Assignment
1. Introduction
Groundwater is created as water from rain or melting snow enters the ground through the spaces between soil particles. Water will move down through the ground spaces until it reaches a layer of rock that is impermeable. If enough water collects above this impermeable layer it will become a water table. Often there is a sand layer over clay and this permeable layer over an impermeable layer creates an aquifer. These areas in the ground are often the water source for many regions.
In this lab we are going to study different types of soil and their ability to contain water.
2. Materials
medium clear plastic cups or glass containers (you need to watch the water go down)
Gravel (or coarse sand similar to what we use in the winter for the roads but not the kind mixed with salt)
Sand (similar to beach sand or sand for children's sandbox)
Clay (modeling clay will work)
Measuring cup
Water
3. Procedure
a. Fill the first cup half way with gravel and the second half way with sand. In the third cup put about two inches of clay at the bottom.
b. Pour 1/4 of a cup of water into cup number one and note how long it takes for the water to reach the bottom.
c. Repeat this procedure with cup number two and number three. If the water does not percolate through any of these materials make a note of that.
4. Observations
a. What did you observe for each soil type? Compare the rate of water flow for each.
b. You are not just to give me definitions. Explain how they may be related to the way you watched water go through various substances.
5. Analysis
a. Define the following terms and explain how they were modeled in your lab: permeability, porosity, groundwater, water table, and aquifer. Note that the bottom of the cup can represent an impermeable layer.
b. Explain how wells are a source of water for many people, either individual wells or town wells. How would an extended drought affect these people? Where does your water come from?