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No. They are precipitations of calcite. Draughts may influence their shapes, and are thought one way in which helictites develop.
It is known - they are calcite deposits precipitated from soultion in ground-water that dissolved it from the limestone above the cave. The real puzzle is the development of "helictites" - stalactites chemically and in principle, but growing into fantastic shapes like spaghetti, and no one theory fits them all!
yes but there are not called stalagmites and stalactites there are called speleothems
A helictite is a speleothem found in lime stone caves that changes its axis from the vertical at one or more stages during its growth. They have a curving or angular form that looks as if they were grown in zero gravity. They are most likely the result ofcapillary forces acting on tiny water droplets, a force often strong enough at this scale to defy gravity.A Stalactite is cylindrical or conical mineral deposit projecting downward from the roof of a cave or cavern, formed by the dripping of water saturated with minerals. As this is formed with support of gravity, it grows vertically downwards. Stalactites form gradually as the minerals precipitate out of the saturated water. They usually consist of calcite but can also consist of other minerals.
Stalactites grow downwards
Q: What type of speleothems is solid and which is hollow?
No. They are precipitations of calcite. Draughts may influence their shapes, and are thought one way in which helictites develop.
It is known - they are calcite deposits precipitated from soultion in ground-water that dissolved it from the limestone above the cave. The real puzzle is the development of "helictites" - stalactites chemically and in principle, but growing into fantastic shapes like spaghetti, and no one theory fits them all!
SPELEOTHEMS: Stalactites, stalactites, curtains (draperies in US caving), straws (fine tubular stalactites - 'soda straws' in US), flowstone, gour pools (I think 'rimstone' pools, ditto), cave pearls, helictites (aka 'erratics' but rather unwisely because that is already a definite geological term for a boulder left far from source by a glacier. They are all of calcite, crystalline calcium carbonate.
yes but there are not called stalagmites and stalactites there are called speleothems
A helictite is a speleothem found in lime stone caves that changes its axis from the vertical at one or more stages during its growth. They have a curving or angular form that looks as if they were grown in zero gravity. They are most likely the result ofcapillary forces acting on tiny water droplets, a force often strong enough at this scale to defy gravity.A Stalactite is cylindrical or conical mineral deposit projecting downward from the roof of a cave or cavern, formed by the dripping of water saturated with minerals. As this is formed with support of gravity, it grows vertically downwards. Stalactites form gradually as the minerals precipitate out of the saturated water. They usually consist of calcite but can also consist of other minerals.
if you mean are stalagmites narrower than stalactites then they can both be bigger than each other because there sises are nearly allways different
Stalactites point down from the ceiling, and stalagmites point upwards from the floor. A way to remember this is that stalactites hold tight onto the roof and stalagmites might reach the rook one day. The rock formation that goes from ceiling to floor is called a column.
Stalactites are often found in caves.
Stalactites are calcium deposits that stem from the ceiling of a cave.
Stalactites grow downwards
Stalactites and stalagmites are found in limestone caves. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, and stalagmites come up from the ground.