How do geysers form

Near the bottom of the tube is molten rock called magma , which heats the water in the tube. Water in the lower part of the tube, close to the magma, becomes superhot. Gradually, it begins to boil. Some of the water is forced upward. The boiling water begins to steam, or turn to gas. The steam jets toward the surface.

Its powerful jet of steam eject s the column of water above it. The water rushes through the tube and into the air. The eruption will continue until all the water is forced out of the tube, or until the temperature inside the geyser drops below boiling degrees Celsius, or degrees Fahrenheit, at sea level. After the eruption, water slowly seep s back into the tube.

The process begins again. In some small geysers, the eruption process can take just a few minutes. In larger geysers, it can take days. Since this is an educational trip however, why not help your students get to grips with the formation of geysers before you go?

For geysers to form, they need three components: a heat source, a constant water supply and an underground plumbing system. These minerals are usually found in volcanic rock, which contains a high concentration of rhyolite.

The majority of geysers pull water from surrounding lakes or rivers. As geysers need a heat source, many of them occur in areas with high levels of geothermal activity. The movement of the tectonic plates also creates a great amount of energy, which can also act as a heat source for the geyser. When all of the above components combine, geysers have the potential to erupt.

Two centuries of scientific research have significantly improved the understanding of "how geysers work. Hayden in what would later become Yellowstone National Park, one of his conclusions still remains pertinent: "What remains to be done is to start a series of close and detailed observations protracted through a number of consecutive years, with a view to determine, if possible, the laws governing geyseric action".

Skip to main content. Search Search. How do geysers work? Knowledge gained from two centuries of scientific research and observations. Release Date: June 24, Have you ever wondered why geysers are rare and what causes them to erupt? Others seem to depend more on rain and snow filtering miles beneath the ground for their water supply. Plumbing system: A geyser's plumbing system is a series of fissures in the Earth that start at the geyser's mouth and run miles beneath the Earth's surface, where the system connects to the geyser's heat source.

Each geyser's plumbing system is different: Some consist of a single long, vertical shaft, while others connect to large pockets of water beneath the surface. Certain types of soil are much more suitable for the plumbing system's formation, particularly soils that contain a high concentration of rhyolite , a volcanic rock that contains minerals that seal the geyser's plumbing system [source: National Park Service ].

This mineral lining is crucial to the geyser's formation, as geysers operate under tremendous pressure and the plumbing system must be able to contain this pressure for the geyser to function.

Heat source: We already know that geysers occur in areas of high geothermal activity, but where does that energy come from? The water in geysers is heated by magma that lies around 3 miles 4. While that might seem like a long way down, magma underneath a geyser field is actually relatively close to the Earth's surface.