England were 171 for four in their second innings, a lead of 404 runs, at tea on Saturday's third day.
Root was 97 not out and first innings centurion Ian Bell 16 not out.
The 22-year-old Root, playing his eighth Test, was preferred as England captain Alastair Cook's opening partner after making a maiden Test hundred as a middle-order batsman against New Zealand at his Headingley home ground in May, a match in which then opener Nick Compton struggled.
Together with Yorkshire colleague and England nightwatchman Tim Bresnan, Root put on 99 for the fourth wicket after a Peter Siddle treble strike Friday had left the hosts 30 for three.
Their partnership meant that by lunch Australia, shot out for just 128 on Friday, already needed to surpass the Lord's Test record fourth innings victory total of 344 for one made by the West Indies against England in 1984, which featured Gordon Greenidge's unbeaten double century, if they were to pull off an astounding win.
England, 1-0 up in the five-match series after last week's 14-run victory at Trent Bridge, resumed Saturday on 31 for three, a lead of 264 runs.
Root, 18 not out overnight, eased the first ball of Saturday's play, from Siddle, through midwicket for four.
After two days of blazing sunshine, conditions were overcast for the first time and offering a hint of swing.
Root, however, drove James Pattinson through the covers for four in a style reminiscent of former England captain Michael Vaughan, who played for the same Yorkshire club side as the Test novice.
Bresnan took 30 balls to get off the mark while he denied Australia the joy of an early breakthrough Saturday.
He subsequently took two boundaries in as many balls off Siddle, the first edged short of third slip and down to third man with the second flicked just wide of midwicket.
The Yorkshiremen continued to frustrate Australia's six-strong attack, Bresnan driving Ryan Harris between point and cover for four.
Root then deliberately guided all-rounder Shane Watson behind point for another boundary.
But he topped that shot with a textbook on-driven four off Siddle that sped over the Pavilion rope.
Bresnan's three off left-arm spinner Ashton Agar brought up a fifty stand in 134 balls.
Soon afterwards Root completed his own fifty, in 122 balls with seven fours, and then struck Pattinson for a classic back-foot forcing shot to the point fence.
But Bresnan's valuable innings of 38, which saw him at the crease for more than three hours, ended when he pulled a Pattinson bouncer straight to Chris Rogers in front of square.
Even so, at 129 for four, England now led by 362 runs.
In a series already full of Decision Review System controversies, there was one more added to the list Saturday when Bell, on three, edged Harris low to Steven Smith at gully.
Smith immediately claimed the catch but, with the umpires and batsman uncertain, the on-field officials referred the incident to third umpire Tony Hill.
As is often the case in these situations, the more replays were looked at, the greater the degree of uncertainty and it was no surprise when Bell was allowed to continue his innings.
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