what is an aquifer

 An aquifer is defined as a body of rock or unconsolidated sediment that has sufficient permeability to allow water to flow through it. Unconsolidated materials like gravel, sand, and even silt make relatively good aquifers, as do rocks like sandstone. Other rocks can bAfter entering an aquifer, water moves slowly toward lower lying places and eventually is discharged from the aquifer from springs, seeps into streams, or is withdrawn from the ground by wells. Groundwater in aquifers between layers of poorly permeable rock, such as clay or shale, may be confined under pressure.e good aquifers if they are well fractured.Identify the difference between porosity and permeability, and explain how permeability affects the flow of groundwater. porosity is the open spaces in a rock or sediment and permeability is when the water to pass through the spaces. If a rock sediment has low permeability then the water won't be Most of the time, U.S. groundwater is safe to use. However, groundwater sources can become contaminated with germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, and chemicals, such as those used in fertilizers and pesticides. to pass through.