Book 1, Question 72
Why Do Geysers Shoot? Nature's Underground Plumbing!
A geyser is nature's underground plumbing at work! Rain and snowmelt seep deep underground through cracks and porous rock, and the water gets trapped in chambers where it heats way past boiling. Pressure keeps it from turning to steam until the pressure drops, and then the superheated water flashes to steam and blasts the water column out of the vent. The page says Yellowstone has more geysers than the rest of the world. With a grown-up, watch a pot of water just before it boils and notice the bubbles and steam.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park is famous because it erupts so regularly.
- The time between Old Faithful's eruptions ranges from about 65 to 92 minutes, and it has slowly gotten longer over the years.
- Water trapped deep underground can get hotter than its normal boiling point and still stay liquid.
- Most geysers are much less predictable than Old Faithful.
- Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser can go anywhere from four days to half a century between big eruptions.
- In 2018, Steamboat Geyser set a record by erupting 32 times in one year.
- The nearby Firehole River got its name from trappers, because rising steam made it look like it was on fire.
Sources: NASA Science, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
How often does Old Faithful erupt?
About every 65 to 92 minutes.
Can water get hotter than boiling?
Yes. Deep underground, pressure keeps water liquid even above its normal boiling point.