Question

The water bearing layer of the earth is ______.

Answer 1

Hint: It is a rock or soil body that holds groundwater. Groundwater is the term used to describe water that has entered the soil below the surface and has been deposited in empty spaces.

Complete Answer:
The hydrosphere comprises much of the Earth's solid, liquid and gaseous water. The hydrosphere stretches from the surface of the Earth about a few miles into the lithosphere and upwards to about 7 miles into the atmosphere.

Almost all the water on the earth is found to contain in the seas and oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps, as groundwater, in wells and aquifers, and in the atmosphere. However, most of this water is not safe for human consumption. The water that is suitable for use is fresh water.

The aquifer is a porous rock body or sediment filled with groundwater. Groundwater enters the aquifer as precipitation passes into the soil. It will pass through the aquifer to resurface through springs and wells. An aquifer can also be called a water-bearing layer or zone. Aquifers are of two types: confined and unconfined. Confined aquifers have a layer of impenetrable rock or clay over them, whereas unconfined aquifers lie under a permeable layer of soil.

Thus, the water bearing layer of the earth is an aquifer.

Note: Many different forms of sediment and rock can form aquifers, including gravel, sandstone, conglomerates, and broken limestone. Aquifers are often classified according to the type of rock or sand they are made up of. Wells can be dug into several aquifers, and they constitute one of the most important sources of freshwater on Earth.