Geysers emit boiling water because the water that infiltrates deep into the Earth's crust is heated by magma. When this pressurized water rises to the surface, it turns into steam and causes the eruption of hot water.
Geysers appear in places where heat comes from the close presence of magma beneath the Earth's surface. Water descends underground through cracks, infiltrates deeply, and eventually encounters very hot rocks. There, the heat from the magma gradually raises the temperature of this water until it turns into steam. Little by little, the pressure builds up, tensions accumulate, and eventually, boiling water is violently propelled to the surface. The cycle then restarts once the conduit is filled with water again.
The higher the pressure, the higher the temperature at which water boils. At sea level, it boils at exactly 100°C. But underground, water is under significantly greater pressure due to the weight of the rocks and the water above. As a result, it remains liquid even at temperatures well above 100°C. Consequently, down there, we can find liquid water heated to temperatures much higher than those we achieve in our pots. As soon as this water rises to the surface, the pressure suddenly drops. And it is precisely this sudden release of pressure that causes instantaneous boiling and a powerful eruption of steam and boiling water to the outside.
The vent of a geyser resembles a natural pipe that runs through rock for several meters or tens of meters. It allows hot water and accumulated steam underground to burst violently to the surface. This natural chimney is often narrow, sometimes irregular, which promotes pressure buildup. The narrower the vent, the more the water and steam are confined in a reduced space, thus increasing the pressure further. When this pressure finally reaches a level that is too high, the boiling water violently erupts outside; this is the geyser's eruption. It's a bit like when you block the end of a garden hose with your thumb: the water then comes out with much more force. The rock surrounding the vent must also be sufficiently impermeable to limit pressure loss and allow the geyser to erupt regularly with power.
Beneath the surface, molten magma heats the groundwater present in the soil directly. As the temperature rises, this water begins to boil, creating a significant amount of steam. This steam, being lighter, gets trapped beneath the liquid water and gradually accumulates. Little by little, the pressure builds up, until the critical moment when all this pressurized steam is abruptly expelled upwards, carrying with it the boiling water that then erupts like a geyser. This mechanism is somewhat akin to a natural pressure cooker where the magma is the heat source and the surrounding rocks form the pot.
Beneath the surface, at the level of the geysers, there are large areas called underground reservoirs. These pockets are like giant tanks storing pressurized hot water, fed by infiltrated waters from the surface that have heated deeply in contact with hot rocks or magma. When water accumulates here for a long time, it rises in temperature well beyond the usual boiling point due to the high pressure. As soon as the pressure suddenly drops, such as when part of the water rises to the surface, the water from the underground reservoir abruptly transforms into steam, violently propelling a jet of boiling water and steam to the surface. Without these underground reservoirs, the necessary accumulation and the spectacular explosive effect typical of geysers would be impossible.
Yellowstone National Park in the United States is home to more than half of the active geysers on the planet, including the famous Old Faithful, which erupts with plumes of water and steam every 60 to 110 minutes on average.
Geysers are not permanent: over time, geological changes, earthquakes, or mineral deposits can obstruct their conduit, rendering them inactive forever.
The word 'geyser' comes from the Icelandic term 'geysir', which literally means 'to spout'. It is the name given to a famous Icelandic geyser, Geysir, which inspired this term worldwide.
The temperature of the water expelled by geysers can exceed 100 ºC at the emission point, made possible by the high underground pressure that raises the boiling point beyond the normal level at the surface.
Yes, it can be dangerous to be too close to an erupting geyser. The water ejected can reach very high temperatures (beyond 100°C), causing serious burns. Therefore, it is advisable to follow the safety guidelines indicated in geothermal areas.
No, some geysers have regular and predictable eruptions like Old Faithful in Yellowstone, while others have irregular cycles, making their prediction particularly difficult.
Geysers produce intermittent eruptions of hot water and pressurized steam, due to a specific geological structure. Hot springs, on the other hand, have a continuous flow without eruptions and without sufficient pressure to project water upwards.
Yes and no. Some geysers have a very regular cycle that allows for accurate predictions, while others are highly unpredictable. Scientists use various tools such as temperature and pressure sensors to try to understand and predict geyser eruptions.
Geysers can disappear when their underground reservoir is disturbed, when their conduit is blocked by mineral deposits, or when geological changes such as earthquakes alter the underground network that supplies their hot water.
The boiling temperature of water in a geyser depends on the ambient pressure, but it usually exceeds 100°C due to the increased pressure underground. In deep geysers, the temperature can reach between 120°C and 150°C before eruption.
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