Book 12, Question 88
Why Do Travertine Terraces Form?
Travertine terraces look like white stone staircases made by hot springs! They form where hot water with dissolved limestone flows out. The Banff hot springs make travertine, and so do hot springs around the world.
More fun facts
- The terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs are made of a rock called travertine.
- Travertine is a form of calcium carbonate.
- As hot water reaches the surface, calcium carbonate dissolves less and settles out as travertine.
- A network of cracks lets hot water rise to the surface at Mammoth.
- Small travertine deposits form at a few other places in Yellowstone too.
- For hundreds of years, Shoshone and Bannock people collected minerals from the terraces to make white paint.
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service
Questions kids ask
What are the terraces made of?
Travertine, a kind of calcium carbonate left behind by hot water.