The aquifer is the layer of gray in this drawing. Click on image
for full size An aquifer is the name for a layer of rock which
is capable of holding a large amount of water. Some layers are
better at holding water than others, for example a layer of
sandstone can hold a good deal of water but a layer of shale
cannot. The ability of the material to hold water depends upon
how fine-grained it is. What sometimes takes place within an
aquifer is softening of the water, or alteration of the contents
of dissolved minerals in the water by contact of the water with
the soil of the aquifer. Shop Windows to the Universe Science
Store! The Summer 2010 issue of The Earth Scientist , available
in our online store , includes articles on rivers and snow,
classroom planetariums, satellites and oceanography, hands-on
astronomy, and global warming. You might also be interested in:
If you sneeze into a pile of dust the little particles fly
everywhere, but if you sneeze into a pile of rocks, they will
stay put. It takes more fo