My First Discoveries · Drawing 21 of 40
Water Hidden Underground
Water and Weather
Water can enter the ground. Underground, it fills small spaces between grains or cracks in rocks.
Did you know?
Groundwater storage often resembles a filled sponge.
Look together
Where can water move between the grains and pebbles?
An idea to try
Watch water enter a sponge sitting in a tray.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The transparent tank is an observation model of water in granular materials. Water can move between grains and pebbles. An aquifer is generally not a vast empty underground river, although some rocks contain cracks or conduits. The tank does not represent every subsurface setting.
Look together: Where can water move between the grains and pebbles? Watch water enter a sponge sitting in a tray.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Illustrations simplify shapes and sizes. Models and enlargements help observation; choose your own colours.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- U.S. Geological Survey: Water Hidden UndergroundIntroduce groundwater between grains and in rock openings.
Source review: 2026-10-03. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
