| Question |
Answer |
| karst topography |
areas where landscapes have been shaped by the dissolving power of groundwater; area has sinkholes and caves |
| limestone |
a sedimentary rock that can be dissolved by groundwater to create caves |
| carbonic acid |
found in most natural water; this chemical dissolves limestone to form caverns |
| cavern |
naturally formed underground chamber |
| stalactite |
icicle-like stone pendants that hang from the ceiling of a cavern |
| stalagmites |
formations that develop on the floor of a cavern |
| sinkhole |
depression formed when limestone below the soil is dissolved |
| artesian well |
well in which the water naturally rises above the level of the water table |
| aquifer |
rock or soil through which groundwater moves easily |
| zone of saturation |
depth below earth's surface where groundwater completely fills all pore space |
| zone of aeration |
area below earth's surface where the soil is moist, but the pores are filled mostly with air |
| water table |
boundary between the zone of aeration and zone of saturation |
| subsidence |
when groundwater is pumped from a well faster than it is recharged, causing the water table to lower and land to sink |
| spring |
natural discharge of water where an aquifer and aquiclude meet |
| aquiclude |
impermeable layer under earth's surface |
| permeable |
ability to let water pass through |
| geyser |
explosive hot spring where water erupts from earth due to heating from igneous activity |
| watershed |
land area in which all water drains into a single river |
| estuary |
area where the mouth of a river opens into an ocean; mix of freshwater and salt water |
| river delta |
Triangular deposit of sediment where water empties into an ocean or lake |
| alluvial fan |
River water emptied from mountain valley onto an open ; deposits (drops) sediment in a fan shape |
Science Vocab 147928
