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Stalagmites and Stalactites
 Many
caverns are beautiful underground palaces, filled with glistening pillars.
Long icicle-like needles called stalactites hang down from the roof. Shiny
fingers called stalagmites point up from the floor. Nearly all are formed
by mineral-rich water steadily dripping from the roof or flowing slowly
across the floor.
Stalactites are formed when drops of water seep
down from the roof of the cave. The drops carry a mineral called calcite
that has dissolved from the rock. When the water dries, small amounts of
calcite are left behind. Stalactites grow about 1 inch (2.5 cm) every 500
years.
Water dripping either from the roof or from a
stalactite falls to the cave bottom. The water leaves calcite on the
floor, making a stalagmite grow upward.
What is a Cave |
How caves are formed? |
Cave
Landscapes |
Stalagmites & Stalactites |
Cave animals |
People and caves |
