Speleology

The largest rock in the world is actually Mount Augustus in Australia, which is often mistaken for Uluru (Ayers Rock). Mount Augustus is about 1.7 miles long and is considered the world's largest monocline.

Chemical weathering.

Rain-water is slightly acidified by absorbing atmospheric CO2. On leaching through the joints, bedding-planes and faults with the mass of limestone, this "carbonic acid" slowly dissolves the calcium carbonate that is limestone's primary constituent.

NB: This is a very basic introduction to a very much more complex and subtleinteraction of geology, hydrology and long-term climate specific to each cave's location.

Yes, crystals can grow in caves. Caves provide the ideal conditions for crystals to form, such as stable temperatures and mineral-rich solutions seeping through the rock formations. This process can lead to the gradual growth of beautiful crystal formations within the cave over time.

Volcanology is the study of volcanos. So a volcanologist is a scientist who studies them.

I've a funny feeling I answered this a while ago. Maybe it's from another questioner!

Basic kit:

^ Safety-helmet with bracket to hold a suitable lamp. These days both helmets and lamps made for caving are available. The lamps are now generally l.e.d. types.

^ Suitable footwear giving support to feet and ankles and good grip on wet or greasy surfaces. Many cavers, at least in the UK, wear Wellingtons (rubber boots).

^ Appropriate clothing.

For short trips in dry, warm caves old clothes under an overall may suffice, and cavers often wear T-shirts in tropical or sub-tropical caves.

In colder, wetter regions though we often wear a fibre-pile one-piece undersuit (over ordinary underwear, perhaps a thin shirt) with a more or less waterproof one-piece oversuit. Again these are made for purpose - the undersuit may look like it but it is not one of those naff "onesies" that are suddenly fashionable!

Where immersion in water is likely, or definite (diving aside - if you're contemplating cave-diving you won't need to ask the above question!), we wear either a wet-suit or a garment called a "Neofleece" under a PVC oversuit. "Neofleece" might a trade-name - I'm not sure. It's basically a cross between wet-suit and fibre-pile undersuit.

Right, that's the basic personal kit. I'd add a small bag or screw-top plastic container for a spare lamp or at least batteries and a bit of food such as dried fruit, of slow energy release. You might want to consider a space-blanket too, in case of emergencies. Keep it folded and sealed in its supplier's packet.

At one time we all carried wrapped around ourselves a sewn tape sling called a "waist-length", useful to provide a bit of assistance on short, awkward little limbs, etc. For some reason they've gone out of fashion but I think they are worth reconsidering.

Vertical caves, or even just single pitches (or 'drops'), demand particular equipment and methods.

For years cavers used, and often still use in many situations, lightweight wire ladders, with appropriate belaying hardware and one or another lifeline system to protect the climber. Such equipment tends to fall into the Club Tackle category rather than be an individual's own, but that's not a hard and fast rule.

When you start using vertical caving techniques by abseiling and 'prusiking' - rope-climbing, named after its Austrian inventor Karl Prusik - you need your own rig for that. It is personal kit adjusted to suit you. There are significant differences in approach between American and British / European 'Single Rope Techniques' (SRT) but either way calls for a set of ascenders, descender, harness, karabiners and a few other components.

And of course rope - of appropriate type and standard, for after all, your life literally hangs on that 9mm to 12mm diameter length of woven plastic... Some clubs operate quite strict internal rules to ensure proper use and maintenance of their stock of SRT ropes.

That summarises what you need underground for straightforward caving trips, ignoring any extras like cameras and flash-guns. You need also to consider surface conditions, especially if the cave is remote or in harsh terrain, and choose the appropriate surface clothing, equipment and food.

Finally you are best taking up caving with experienced friends, preferably but not compulsorily in a caving club.

Tar pits can range in depth from a few feet to over 100 feet deep. The depth depends on various factors such as the geology of the area and the amount of sediment accumulation over time.

butter........juicy buttery butter........yummy bacon and eggs and opps forgot the best part baby sausage weinie things! HAHA no its formed at your mamas house lol! stupid i no but just laugh.....

There are many types of different weather, for example: rain, snow, hail, cloudy and so on....

The shape of raindrops is determined by surface tension forces, air resistance, and gravity. As raindrops fall through the atmosphere, they start off spherical but can become distorted due to these factors, resulting in various shapes such as teardrops or flattened discs.

Yes, bacteria inhabiting a cave deep inside the Earth would be considered part of the biosphere. The biosphere encompasses all living organisms and their interactions with the environment, and bacteria play key roles in various ecosystems, even in extreme environments like caves.

The reaction of carbonic acid in rain and groundwater with the carbonate rock.

A stony spike hanging from the roof of a cave is a stalactite. Stalactites are formed by minerals deposited by dripping water in caves, creating the icicle-like formations that hang from the ceiling.

Ah, but you've not stated the identities of the escapees and the cave, nor why why they didnotwant to be found! :-)

Lava tubes are formed when lava flows through a hardened outer crust, creating a tunnel-like structure. As the lava continues to flow, it leaves behind an empty space that eventually forms a tube. These structures can be maintained over time if the lava continues to flow and the tube remains intact.

Caves formed from minerals dissolving and re-forming typically occur in limestone, where acidic groundwater dissolves the limestone rock to create voids. As the water carries the dissolved minerals, it can re-deposit them as stalactites, stalagmites, and other cave formations when conditions change. Over time, these processes shape the cave environment.

Caverns are formed through a process of chemical weathering and erosion of soluble rocks, such as limestone, by percolating water. Gradual dissolution of the rock over time creates underground voids that eventually expand to form caverns. Additional factors like tectonic activity and the presence of natural faults can also contribute to cavern formation.

Geologic history & formations Wyandotte Cave Visitor Center

Wyandotte caves began to form in the Pliocene Era, about 2 million years ago.[2] Like most of Southern Indiana's caves, the caves were formed when water dissolved limestone, causing hollow caves to form.

The limestone which forms much of Southern Indiana's bedrock, and from which Wyandotte and other local caves are formed, was first deposited in the Mississippian epoch (360 Ma to 325 Ma), when Indiana was covered by a shallow inland sea.

Although the glaciers of the Pliocene and Pleistocene periods did not quite reach as far south as the area now known as Crawford County, where Wyandotte and Marengo Caves are located, they dramatically influenced the development of those caves.

The Ohio River was formed at this time, and today flows only minutes from Wyandotte Caves. The advancing and retreating glaciers destroyed the pre-existing Teays River, and the Ohio River was formed, draining the land that the Teays once drained. As the glaciers melted, the icy cold water (which dissolves limestone much faster than warm water) flowing towards the Ohio River (which was then much higher than it is now) dissolved the limestone which is the bedrock for much of Southern Indiana, hollowing out caves such as Wyandotte.

The main entrance to Wyandotte Cave is 220 feet (67 m) above the level of the Blue River. Wyandotte Cave is known for its long open passageways and large rooms. With 9.2 miles (14.806 km) of passageways on five levels it is one of the longest caves in Indiana. Included in its formations is Monument Mountain. At 135 feet (41.148 m) tall, Monument Mountain is considered to be the world's largest underground mountain.[3] Wyandotte Cave is also home to a great many helictites, which are considered rare. The cave is also home to the tallest stalagmite in the world, known as the Pillar of the Constitution, but this is only visible on crawling tours.[4]

Long speleothems, formed by rainwater dissolving calcium carbonate, abound in Siberts Cave. The cave exhibits a wide variety of speleothems including; stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstone, flowstone colored with iron oxide known as cave bacon, flowstone known as cave draperies, soda straws, popcorn, and rimstone dams.

The temperature inside both caves maintains a constant 52 degrees Fahrenheit (about 11 degrees Celsius).

Just what the phrase implies. the error is in the instrument, such as a compass being so many degrees off, to be distinguished from Operator Error in reading or interpreting the instrument. usually applied to compasses and sometimes seismometers, the error is a design or workmanship (at the plant) flaw not an error by the observer or operator, though calibrations on some compasses are confusing,the Germans using the standard card but in (tens of degrees) hence 27 actually meant 270 Degrees- due West. 27 Degrees is a non-cardinal angle just shy of lPM to use the( Twelve o"clock analogy) that might be both observer and design error!

Errrrr..... and the question is?

Carbonic acid is a solution of carbon-dioxide in water. It can dissolve limestone (calcium carbonate), dolomite (magnesium carbonate) and gypsum (calciumm sulphate).

+++ This was flagged on "gibberish" grounds. The question is badly worded but but after gently teasing the writer about that, I answered seriously & concisely what I took to be his or her enquiry.

Groundwater creates caves through a process called chemical weathering, which dissolves rock over time. As water seeps through the ground, it reacts with minerals in the rock, slowly eroding it and creating cavities. Over thousands of years, these cavities can grow larger and eventually form caves.

When a cave erodes all the way through, it creates a natural tunnel or passage known as an arch or natural bridge. This process typically occurs when water erodes the rock formations over time. These geological features are often found in areas with limestone or other soluble rock formations.

It has no directrole. Caves are formed in limestone primarily by slightly acid ground-water dissolving it. The acidity comes from the water falling as rain, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The result is the weak carbonic acid - natural soda-water in fact!

If bacteria have any role at all it may be forming acids in the soil by decay of organic matter, to augment the carbonic acid, but this is aminor part.

So essentially, bacteria play no part in cave development.

Rime is a type of ice. It is water droplets that become suspended in clouds when temperatures are below freezing. When the move out of the cloud, the droplets freeze quickly when they contact anything solid (i.e., a mountain, plant, or building). The freezing droplets coat the object with what appears to be snow or ice, but is it actually much more delicate. Rime poses a significant problem to climbers in areas such as Patagonia, particularly near Cerro Torre, where climbers are often forced to explore knew routes to avoid climbing on the delicate rime. Because Cerro Torre, and to a lesser extent Fitz Roy, are shrouded in clouds quite frequently, rime frequently forms on the rock and on Cerro Torre's mushroom cap. (Posted by Mark Williams)

Abiotic factors found in caves include temperature, humidity, air circulation, and light availability. These factors play a crucial role in shaping the cave environment and influencing the types of organisms that can survive within them.

To a large extent, rock is already frozen. There are 5 states of matter: * Plasma * Gas * Liquid * Liquid Crytal * Solid Liquid crystal only applies to certain highly specialised compounds, although there is some evidence that all of them experience this stage in a very narrow band between solid and liquid, but that this band is so narrow that it's almost impossible to attain without it going beyond. Plasma is a gas so highly heated that all molecules break down and the electrons disasociate - they are no longer bound to their atoms. This leaves Solid, Liquid and Gas. If you view the following image: http://www.geocities.com/paul_j_hurley@btinternet.com/education_items/images/ water_states.jpg edit: it keeps on doing this! the above should all be 1 line! This is a diagram of the normal states of matter for water. If you cross reference the temperature with the pressure, you will get the relevant state. I've drawn a blue ine on the diagram for a pressure of 1 atmosphere. as you go up this line (rising temperature) then at 0 degrees centigrade you move from the solid area to the liquid area and at 100 degrees into the gas area. This also explains why at lower pressures (such as up a mountain) water boils at a lower temperature (move the blue line to the left). Where the 2 red lines meet is called the triple point. If you now view the following diagram: http://www.geocities.com/paul_j_hurley@btinternet.com/education_items/images/ 2-state.jpg Edit: and again. I've put water (red line) and another compound (green line) on the same diagram You will note they are both the same shape, but the triple points are in vastly different places, according to the chemical properties of these compounds. So, for a temperature and pressure at the blue cross, water is a liquid and the other substance (such as rock) is a solid. I.e. rock is already a frozen solid at this temperature. You will also note that to the left of the triple point, it goes straight from a solid to a gas. This is called sublimation. Depending on where the triple point of the substance is, all compounds sublime below this. Water will sublime below approximately 0.006 atmospheres (it's triple point is at this pressure), wheras carbon dioxide has it's triple point at 5.2 atmospheres. This why carbon dioxide 'dry ice' has no liquid form (the pressure ON EARTH is too low), while on Mars, with an atmospheric pressure of 0.005 atmospheres, liquid water cannot form (although it can form both a gas and a solid - believe it or not it can snow on mars, but not rain.)