Stalagmites and Stalactites

Stalactites and stalagmites can also form in underground tunnels, lava tubes, mines, and man-made structures like abandoned buildings and tunnels. They require a source of water to form as minerals are deposited over time.

The stalactites hang from the ceiling, and the stalagmites are on the ground.

In caves formed in limestone - as are most of the world's caves although not all such caves contain stalagmites and stalactites. They are precipitations of calcite dissolved from the host limestone by carbonic acid - rain water acidified by atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolved in it.

Stalactites point downwards from the ceiling of a cave, while stalagmites point upwards from the cave floor. Over time, these formations can grow towards one another and eventually meet to form a column.

There is no fixed rate, as it varies widely with the cave's atmospheric and geological conditions, and the water-chemistry and flow-rate. A "statistic" popular with show-cave guides is "one inch in a thousand years", and whilst that may be near enough in many cases, it is by no means a universal law.

Primary colour: white. Calcite itself is transparent but in mass the crystals give a white effect in the same way as sugar or snow. A "straw" (in US caving, "soda straw") stalactite is so thin it is nearly transparent.

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Mineral (metallic) impurities naturally present within the source limestone often tint stalagmites and their fellow "speleothems, usually to a buff or yellowy-cream colour, but shades of brown or red (from iron) or blue (from copper) are known, although rare.

If you mean the result of them meeting, tip to tip, as they grow, then thickening from that as a single shaft of calcite from roof to floor, the result is a "Column".

Both are calcite (crystalline calcium carbonate) formations in caves.

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Stalactites grown down from the cave roof: "C" for ceiling, and it hangs on tight!

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Stalagmites grow up from the floor' "G" for ground, and it might reach the ceiling - or the stalactite growing down towards it, and when they fuse the result is a Column.

When a stalactite and stalagmite grow together, they form a column. This happens when water dripping from a stalactite reaches the floor and the mineral deposits from the water build up to create the stalagmite. Over time, the two formations can merge to become a solid column.

Stalactites and stalagmites are similar because they are both cave formations that are made out of limestone from the process of water dripping.

They are different because a stalactite forms from the ceiling of a cave, and a stalagmite forms from the ground up. One way to remember this is the "C" in stalactite stands for ceiling- it holds tight to the ceiling, and the "G" in stalagmite stands for the ground where it forms.

After many years, stalactites and stalagmites can end up touching each other and they form another cave formation called a column.

Stalactites take a long time to grow because they form as mineral-laden water drips slowly from the ceiling of a cave. The minerals in the water slowly accumulate on the tip of the stalactite, leading to its slow growth over time. The rate of growth can vary depending on factors such as the amount of mineral in the water and the frequency of drips.

Stalactites hang from the ceiling of caves, formed by the dripping of mineral-rich water. Stalagmites grow up from the floor of caves as the same mineral-rich water drips down. Over time, these formations can meet and grow together to create intricate cave structures.

The joining of a stalactite and stalagmite is called a column. It forms when the two mineral deposits meet and grow together over time in a cave.

It's called a column, there's no more technical term than that, as far as I can find.

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You are right; "column" is both common and technical term for it.

The color differences we observe in stalagmites and stalactites are due to the incorporation of different minerals in these spelothems during their formation. It is calcium carbonate that is the most common and largest contributor to these cave formations, but it is not necessarily the only one. We know that different minerals appear in different colors, and just about anything that is water soluble can contribute to the building of these geologic features. All in all, this is a simple and correct reason for what any observer might see when considering the structures and their formation.

Stalactites and stalagmites are slightly different in their growth and do not depend on each other to grow.

A stalactite grows when calcium carbonate and other ions precipitate out from the groundwater.

A stalagmite forms when calcium carbonate and other ions precipitate out from the groundwater. This water does not need to come from stalactites.

When a stalactite and a stalagmite do grow with one above the other, they are called a column when they meet.

No, it is stalactites that form on the ceilings. Stalagmites form on the cavern floors.

Stalagmites can have hollow centers formed due to various processes such as erosion, air pockets, or the flow of water dissolving the interior material. However, not all stalagmites have hollow centers, as some may be solid all the way through depending on the specific conditions of their formation.

When a stalactite and a stalagmite meet and eventually connect, they form a column or pillar. This occurs through the continuous dripping of mineral-rich water from the stalactite onto the stalagmite below, resulting in the build-up of minerals and the eventual formation of a column.

When a stalactite and stalagmite join, they form a column or pillar. This occurs when mineral deposits from dripping water from the stalactite unite with the mineral deposits growing up from the stalagmite, eventually creating a solid column structure.

Stalactites are mineral formations that hang down from the ceiling of caves, formed by the dripping of mineral-rich water. Stalagmites are similar formations that grow up from the floor of caves, formed by the accumulation of minerals deposited by dripping water. Both stalactites and stalagmites are examples of speleothems, which are cave formations created through the deposition of minerals over time.

Stalactites and stalagmites are examples of cave formations that are typically found in limestone caves. Stalactites hang from the ceiling and are formed by minerals dripping down, while stalagmites rise up from the floor and are formed by minerals accumulating from the ground up.

no one noes

Yes they do.

Precipitation and crystallisation of calcium carbonate dissolved from the limestone by water leaching through the joints, bedding-planes or faults in the rock.