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Stalagmites and Stalactites
Stalagmites and stalactites are mineralized deposits formed by dripping water. The deposits are long and cone shaped. Stalactites hang from the tops of caves, and stalagmites are formed on the floors.
350 Questions
What are stalactites and stalagmites?
When underground in a cave, you may find cone-like limestone structures on the ceiling and the floor. On the ceiling are stalactites. (They hold on tite.). On the floor are stalagmites. Where they meet, the combined structure is called a column.
Formation of Stalactites and Stalagmites
Where limestone is present above a cave, it can be dissolved by water as calcium bicarbonate. When it drips down into a cave, it reverts to particles of calcium carbonate in the air. If the water carries to the floor of the cave, stalagmites (limestone pinnacles) are formed. If the calcium precipitates before it can drip, an "icicle" of limestone, a stalactite, hangs from the ceiling. Usually these forms are created simultaneously, and may merge to form columns or sheets of columns.
Unlike their icy counterparts, stalactites and stalagmites take hundreds to thousands of years to form, at an average of 5/1000ths of an inch (.13 mm) a year. A stalagmite in an Oregon cave has grown less than 1/4 of an inch since it was broken off 100 years ago!
A stalactite is a mineral formation that hangs down from the roof of a cave. It may or may not be hollow, and it is built up over long periods of time (on the order of many, many thousands or tens of thousands of years).
The primary minerals from which this dripstone is formed are calcium based, but other minerals intrude during the long formation process. The "complimentary" formation is the one that rises from the floor of a cave, and it's called a stalagmite. When the two link up, a column or pillar is formed. A link can be found below for more information.
A stalactite drips water onto the floor of a limestone cave and a small source or mineral is carried with each drop. Over time as the water runs off or evaporates, the buildup of this mineral will create a stalagmite. They may take thousands of years to grow a few inches. When a stalagmite and a stalactite meet, they form a column.
Stalagmites rise from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate.
The primary mineral of both stalactites and stalagmites is Calcite, the crystalline form of Calcium Carbonate that is the main ingredient of limestone. Their mode of formation is the same, precipitation of calcite; the different names reflect only their different positions. The other mineral solutions implied above, are trace metallic compounds that give the formations their colour.
Stalactites are mineral formations that hang from the ceilings of caves, formed by the deposition of minerals from dripping water. They are typically made of calcium carbonate and grow slowly over thousands of years as water seeps through limestone and leaves behind mineral deposits that harden into a rock-like structure.
Can ground water erode in the formation of stalactite and stalagmite in caves.?
Yes, groundwater can erode in the formation of stalactites and stalagmites in caves. Groundwater dissolves minerals like calcium carbonate as it moves through rocks, then deposits these minerals as it drips from cave ceilings to form stalactites. As the mineral-laden water drips onto the cave floor, it leaves behind deposits that build up to form stalagmites.
How does water turn into stalagmites and stalagtites?
Water containing minerals dissolves limestone as it drips through caves, leaving behind mineral deposits that accumulate over time and form stalagmites (which grow up from the ground) and stalactites (which hang from the ceiling). This process, known as mineral precipitation, can take thousands of years to create these formations.
Where in this world are stalagmites and stalactites found?
Stalagmites and stalactites are mineral formations found in caves around the world. They are created by mineral-rich water dripping from the ceiling to the floor (stalactites) or by water dripping and depositing minerals on the floor (stalagmites), eventually forming the characteristic pointy structures.
Do the formation of stalactites and stalagmites occurs in the zone of saturation?
Yes, the formation of stalactites and stalagmites occurs in the zone of saturation. Groundwater drips through the ceiling of a cave and leaves behind mineral deposits when the water evaporates, forming stalactites. When the water drips onto the cave floor, it leaves deposits that build up into stalagmites.
Is stalagmite processed by weathering erosion or deposition?
Stalagmites are formed by deposition, specifically of minerals like calcite that precipitate out of water dripping from the ceiling of a cave. Weathering and erosion may contribute to the breakdown of rock formations in caves, but the actual formation of stalagmites is a result of deposition.
Why do you find caves and stalactites only in limestone area?
I think I could be wrong, but is it because naturally acidic rain can cause limestone to dissolve, and this can make a cave?
(I came across this during revision and this completely confused me, I'm almost sure to fail! But this is just what I guessed via the text!)
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You are right in describing what are called "karst" caves, i.e. those formed in limestone by slightly acidic water dissolving it, but other types of cave in non-limestone rocks exist, formed by other mechanisms.
Can ground water erosion result in the formation of stalactite and stalagmite?
Yes, ground water erosion can result in the formation of stalactites and stalagmites in caves. As water seeps through the limestone rock, it dissolves minerals and carries them downwards. When the water drips from the ceiling of a cave, it leaves behind mineral deposits that build up over time to form stalactites. Similarly, the dripping water deposits minerals on the cave floor, creating stalagmites that grow upwards.
Geoterium
,geo/ter/ium
-geo- or ge-
A prefix that means "earth," as in geochemistry, the study of the Earth's chemistry
-ter adverb.
(in prescriptions) three times.
a combining form meaning "thrice," used in the formation of compound words: tercentennial.
ter.
1. (in prescriptions) rub. Origin:
< Latin tere
2. terrace.
3. territorial.
-ium suff.
Chemical element or group
- noun; a word pertaining to a compound that is compose of three earth bound minerals, limestone, stalactite and muddy fossilipids that is tar, rubbing it's surfaces naturally and more precise than honey. More dense than fuel or crude oil and diesel. it is safest and cleanest compound that can replace fuel
(mistaken as deuterium and it has been concealed upon it's discovery from 1986 in coron palawan phils)
this is all I got!! for now I !!
Do stalagmites and stalactites have cells?
No. Only living organisms have cells. Although stalagmites and stalactites appear to grow, it is not due to the reproduction of cells or living organisms. Stalagmites and stalactites are composed of atoms which are connected into molecules. They are made of the same things as any other rock.
Mud stalagmites form in caves when dripping water brings in mud particles that accumulate and harden over time. As the water evaporates, sediment is left behind, slowly building up into a stalagmite formation. The process typically takes hundreds to thousands of years to create a significant stalagmite.
Are stalacites and stalagmites igneous or sedimentary?
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from calcium carbonate minerals, making them part of sedimentary rocks. They are created in caves from mineral-rich water dripping from the ceiling (stalactites) or depositing on the floor (stalagmites) over time.
Stalactites and stalagmites consist of deposits of?
Stalactites and stalagmites consist of deposits of calcium carbonate or other minerals that form as water containing dissolved minerals drips, evaporates, and leaves behind mineral deposits on the ceilings and floors of caves over a long period of time. These formations grow slowly, with stalactites hanging from cave ceilings and stalagmites rising up from the cave floor.
Describe how the stalactite and stalagmite is weathered by rainwater?
Since the caves in which stalactite and stalagmite are in are made of limestone, and we know that limestone is a sedimentary rock, and rainwater dissolves minerals in the limestone so now we have mineralized water. The water drips from the top of caves in the same spot for years and years. The water evaporates and leaves minerals and minerals keep piling making stalactite and stalagmite, that is just one way.
If anyone has a better answer please say it. :D
all regards
Are stalactites and stalgmites the 2 most commonly formed speleothems?
Yes, stalactites and stalagmites are among the most commonly formed speleothems in caves. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, formed by mineral deposits left by dripping water, while stalagmites grow from the floor in response to the same process. These formations are well-known examples of cave decorations due to their distinctive shapes and prevalence.
Is it true that stalactites are deposits hanging from cave roofs caused by dripping groundwater?
As water goes through ground, it will to a certain extent dissolve some minerals.
When water later drips down inside a cave, the water can actually deposit a little bit of the minerals it is carrying.
This results in Stalactites from roof and Stalagmites at ground.
It is true.
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed in what kind of underground features?
Caves!
Though you will also find them in some artificial subterranean structures, provided the necessary sources of calcium carbonate and water charged with carbon-dioxide to produce carbonic acid, are available.
They need to be in air to form. They won't grow underwater, apart from certain forms of stalagmite deposit associated with pools or gently-trickling flows.
Are stalactites deposits hanging from cave roofs caused by dripping groundwater?
Yes: some of the calcium carbonate dissolved in the water in each drop precipitates as its crystalline form, calcite, so slowly builds up layer after layer of crystals to form the stalactite (and related formations).
Who are some famous Mineralogists?
Some famous mineralogists include Georgius Agricola, renowned for his work in the field of mineralogy during the Renaissance period, Friedrich Mohs, who introduced the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, and Bertrand Streit Biltgen, known for his contributions to mineralogy and crystallography.
What kind of rock is a stalagmite?
A stalagmite is made up of limestone, which is almost entirely a mineral called calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate, which is a chemical compound that has CaCo3 as its chemical formula. A link can be found below.
