Grand Prismatic Spring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grand Prismatic Spring |
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Grand Prismatic Spring from an overlook
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| Location | Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Teton County, Wyoming |
| Coordinates | 44°31′30″N 110°50′17″W / 44.5250489°N 110.83819°W |
| Elevation | 7,270 feet (2,220 m) |
| Type | Hot spring |
| Discharge | 560 US gallons (2,100 L) per minute |
| Temperature | 160 °F (70 °C) |
| Depth | 160 feet (50 m) |
The Grand Prismatic Spring is an amazing hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. It is the largest hot spring in the United States. It's also the third largest in the entire world! You can find it in a spot called the Midway Geyser Basin.
Scientists first wrote about the Grand Prismatic Spring during a survey in 1871. They named it because of its amazing, bright colors. The spring's colors look just like a rainbow! You can see red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.
Contents
Exploring Grand Prismatic Spring
Early Discoveries
The first people from Europe to record seeing the spring were explorers and surveyors. In 1839, a group of four fur trappers crossed the Midway Geyser Basin. They wrote about a "boiling lake" that was about 300 feet (90 m) wide. This was most likely the Grand Prismatic Spring.
In 1870, another group called the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition visited the spring. They also noticed a 50-foot (15 m) geyser nearby. This geyser was later named Excelsior.
Amazing Colors of the Spring
The Grand Prismatic Spring has super bright and vivid colors. These colors come from tiny living things called microbial mats. These mats grow around the edges of the water. The water is full of minerals.
The mats can be green, orange, or red. The exact color depends on how much chlorophyll and carotenoids they have. It also depends on the water's temperature. In the summer, the mats are usually orange and red. But in the winter, they often turn dark green. The very center of the spring is too hot for anything to live there.
The deep blue color in the middle of the spring is from the water itself. Water naturally has a blue tint. This blue color is strongest in the center because it's very deep and has no living things.
How Big Is Grand Prismatic Spring?
The Grand Prismatic Spring is huge! It is about 370 feet (110 m) across. That's longer than a football field! It is also about 160 feet (50 m) deep.
Every minute, the spring releases about 560 US gallons (2,100 L) of hot water. This water is about 160 °F (70 °C)!
See also
In Spanish: Gran Fuente Prismática para niños
