Because limestone is soluble and is comparatively easily dissolved by water which contains weak acids.
Due to limestone's different features: it is pearmeable, it can be dissolved by slightly acidic water and yet it is very strong. Water can seep into the limestone then erode it, eventually forming a cave or cavern.
because the limestone grew on land... [Sorry - that's wrong. It's a sedimentary rock formed under water, usually on shallow, warm sea floors, before being uplifted to form uplands by tectonic processes]... and is soft [ Some limestone is fairly soft, but not all] and easily eroded by water and acids forming caves. ... [The acid is the point: rainwater absorbs atmospheric carbon-dioxide to produce the weak carbonic acid that dissolves the limestone irrespective of the rock's hardness.]
its because limestone weathers very easily and when it erodes away it leaves a cave (also see stalactites and stalgmites but if you want more on limestone)
A specific form of weathering: chemical. The calcium carbonate mineral that is the primary and essential constituent of limestone is soluble in water made slightly acid by absorbing atmospheric carbon-dioxide. So caves form in limestone because limestone is dissolved away.
Very slowly - I think rates of 1mm or less per 1000 years are fairly typical in temperate climates, but it does depend on other factors such as precipitation and the absorption of biological acids from the soil.
Because Limestone is nearly insoluble in pure water. But water that contains small quantities of carbonic acid dissolves easily.
limestone
Carbonic Acid
no
limestone
caverns
limestone
The limestone caverns themselves are formed by groundwater gradually dissolving the limestone rock. In this process, some of the limestone is taken into solution, and under favourable conditions, it will form a drip on the roof of a cavern. This may eventually build to form a stalactite above, and perhaps also a stalagmite below it.
Carbonic Acid
no
The caverns themselves forming and becoming enlarged!
No, most caverns form below the water table. Caverns are typically formed by the dissolution of underground limestone or other soluble rocks by water, and this process usually occurs below the water table where the rocks are saturated with water.
The Linville Caverns are a network of limestone caves located in North Carolina, USA. They are open to the public for guided tours, offering a chance to see unique geological formations such as stalactites and stalagmites. The caverns are known for their underground streams and spectacular rock formations.
Most caverns form through a process called speleogenesis, which occurs when groundwater dissolves limestone or other soluble rocks over millions of years. These dissolved materials create openings and passages underground, eventually forming caverns. The most common locations for cavern formation are in areas with thick limestone deposits, such as karst regions.
limestone
caverns, sinkholes, etc.
The limestone caverns themselves are formed by groundwater gradually dissolving the limestone rock. In this process, some of the limestone is taken into solution, and under favourable conditions, it will form a drip on the roof of a cavern. This may eventually build to form a stalactite above, and perhaps also a stalagmite below it.
Limestone and places like limestone caverns.