An aquifer is best described as which of the following?

An aquifer is best described as which of the following?

• A. Underground, water-bearing formations yielding useful quantities of water
• B. A surface water body
• C. A dry rock layer
• D. A layered sediment with no water

Answer: (A)

An aquifer is a subsurface rock or sediment layer that can store and transmit groundwater in usable amounts. It’s underground and made of porous, permeable materials that hold water in pore spaces and allow it to flow to wells. That’s why the description of underground, water‑bearing formations yielding useful quantities of water fits best. A surface water body isn’t underground, a dry rock layer has little to no capacity to hold or transmit groundwater, and layered sediment with no water isn’t storing groundwater at all.

An aquifer is a subsurface rock or sediment layer that can store and transmit groundwater in usable amounts. It’s underground and made of porous, permeable materials that hold water in pore spaces and allow it to flow to wells. That’s why the description of underground, water‑bearing formations yielding useful quantities of water fits best. A surface water body isn’t underground, a dry rock layer has little to no capacity to hold or transmit groundwater, and layered sediment with no water isn’t storing groundwater at all.