Final answer:
The statement that water in a groundwater system is stored in subsurface pore spaces and fractures is true. Groundwater fills these voids in the earth's subsurface, influenced by the porosity and permeability of the materials it traverses through.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question asks whether the statement “Water in a groundwater system is stored in subsurface pore spaces and fractures” is true or false. The main answer is: a. True.Groundwater is indeed stored in the subsurface pore spaces and fractures within rocks and soil. This occurs as water infiltrates through the soil from rainfall or snowmelt and percolates downward, reaching the saturated zone where all the pore spaces are completely filled with water. The rate and storage of groundwater depend largely on the porosity and permeability of the subsurface materials. If you envision a room filled with basketballs and water is added, the space between the basketballs represents the porous media, which can hold water, akin to high porosity in geological terms.In conclusion, the presence of water in the subsurface environment within pore spaces and fractures is a fundamental characteristic of a groundwater system, which contributes to its significant role as a reservoir of fresh water. As such, the statement in the question is true.