What causes stalactites and stalagmites to form in caves?

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Stalactites and stalagmites in caves are the results of highly complex chemistry.

Caves around the world are adorned with stalactites and stalagmites. As opposed to stalagmites, which rise vertically from the floor, stalactites dangle from the ceiling. Live Science stated that some of them are so old that they predate contemporary people.

According to the National Park Service website, these tooth-like rock formations form when dripping water interacts with the underground air. As it travels through space, the water picks up dissolved minerals from the Earth's surface. Stalagmites are formed by the passage of water through the cave, leaving behind a trace of the minerals it encounters.

Stalagmites come in various shapes, but what is their general shape?

Most stalactites are conical, with a thick top and a tapered base. It's not all bad. Straw-shaped stalactites form as water trickles down the center of the crystals. Minerals accumulate in the bottom of the tube as each drip evaporates, leaving behind a new layer of minerals.

It is rare to locate cave straws in caves that have been extensively explored, according to the Journal of Cave and Karst Studies.

Stalagmites in the shape of straws appear to resist gravity. A variety of knobbles, knobbles, and knobbly structures are known as helictites.

According to the Universities Space Research Association, a mixture of capillary action and wind may be responsible for their formation.

Tiny water droplets can be dragged in new directions by changes in cave air currents or the orientation of crystals in stalactites that are forming. Instead of trickling to the floor, they travel sideways or upwards, displacing the minerals they carry.

Precisely what are stalactites and stalagmites made up of?

Calcium carbonate, found in caves, accounts for most stalactites. Both calcite and aragonite crystallize from it. CaCO3 is their chemical formula.

The only caves where stalactites can be found are those with limestone or dolomite as the surrounding rocks.

Stalactites can also contain residues of other compounds, resulting in a wide range of colorations and textures. Even opal is included in the list of these compounds.

Stalagmites and stalactites are typical in limestone caverns. The base of these structures is thick, with a tip pointing upwards towards the cave's ceiling. According to the Encyclopedia of Caves (Third Edition, 2019), some are flat like fried eggs, while others are long and thin, like broomsticks.

Minerals from water droplets splashing on the cave floor are sucked up by stalactites, which grow directly beneath them. It's possible to see one or the other of these two styles of cave decoration on its own.

In addition to these cave characteristics, there are many more.

Other types of cave ornamentation can be found in limestone caverns as well. Stalactites and stalagmites are dripstones, according to the Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, and they get their name from how they develop as water drops. Flowstones and cave popcorn, on the other hand, may be visible.

According to Yorkshire Dales National Park, flowstones form when water cascades down a cave wall in sheets. It's like a waterfall frozen in time, with stalactites forming a curtain. According to the American Geophysical Union (AGU), certain flowstones feature layers of color from minerals left behind by the water.

Water seeps into crevices in the rock and forms bumps, lumps, and berries that resemble popcorn.

Chemistry of stalactites and stalagmites in limestone

There are stalactites and stalagmites formed by rainwater dripping down the walls of limestone rocks. According to the National Park Service, it collects carbon dioxide from the air and the organic stuff it passes when it drips down. Water and carbon dioxide combine to form a weak carbonic acid. When this acid comes into contact with the mineral calcite, it breaks it down, releasing calcium bicarbonate, which can then be dissolved in water.

As the water seeps into the cave, it comes into contact with the air for the first time since entering it. Carbon dioxide is released in this location, and calcite crystals are formed again.

Weird stalactites

It may surprise you that stalagmites and stalactites aren't always present in caves. If you look closely, you can see them in lava tubes, under concrete structures, and even on the side of your garage during the winter. Because stalagmites and stalactites aren't usually comprised of limestone, this is the reason why.

This sort of stalactite is perhaps the most common one. According to a 2019 entry in the Encyclopaedia of Caves, they are formed when it is cold enough for water to freeze yet sunny sufficient for it to melt again. The melted water condenses into ice cubes as it falls to the ground.

According to researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Arizona, Icicles are pointed for a reason. There was a noticeable change in the water's texture as it flowed down the drain. It radiates heat, creating a cozy haven around the icicle. Warm air rises, resulting in longer and thinner icicles at their tips because the water freezes faster at the bottom.

According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, a concrete stalactite is a type of stalactite you could observe in the wild. They're everywhere, from parking lots to your home's plumbing. When an alkaline liquid travels through concrete, calcium oxide dissolves. When that liquid is exposed to the air, the calcium precipitates out of the solution and forms calthemite, a hard rock. Calthemite stalagmites can form if the drips are quick enough.

It's a little more difficult to locate other unusual stalactites. According to the International Journal of Speleology, stalactites grow inside lava tubes, which convey molten rock beneath the Earth's surface. When a lava tube's roof begins to cool, it develops a skin similar to that of a custard dish. The expanding hot gases push the epidermis outward, forming hollow tubes that harden into rock.

Reference : https://www.livescience.com/stalagmites-and-stalactites

Image source : https://pixabay.com/id/photos/gua-peri-lapangan-aula-gua-milikku-2192134/

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