Plants need air, water, and nutrients from the soil to survive. Water enters the soil through rainfall but some runs off, while the rest is absorbed by plants or percolates deeper underground. This water travels through pores and cracks in the soil and rock until it reaches an impermeable layer, where it collects to form the water table or groundwater. Groundwater is stored in aquifers and supplies wells, with artesian wells tapping high-pressure underground sources. Capillary action helps draw water up from the groundwater and transport it through plant roots and stems.