Stalagmite

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Stalagmite

A stalagmite (from the Greek

Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
stalagma ("Σταλαγμίτης"), "drop" or "drip") is a type of speleothem

Speleothem

A speleothem , commonly known as a cave formation, is a secondary mineral deposit formed in a cave. Speleothems are typically formed in limestone or dolostone Cave#Types and formation....
that rises from the floor

Floor

A floor is the walking surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many-layered surfaces using modern technology. Floors may be stone, wood, bamboo, metal, or other material that can hold a person's weight....
of a limestone

Limestone

File:Limestone Formation In Waitomo.jpgLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite . The deposition of limestone strata is often a by-product and indicator of biological activity in the geology record....
cave

Cave

A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter. Some people suggest that the term cave should only apply to cavities that have some part that does not receive daylight; however, in popular usage, the term includes smaller spaces like sea caves, rock shelters, and grottos....
due to the dripping of mineralized solution

Solution

In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent....
s and the deposition of calcium carbonate

Calcium carbonate

Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CalciumCarbonOxygen3. It is a common substance found as Rock in all parts of the world, and is the main component of seashells, snails, and eggshells....
.

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Encyclopedia

A stalagmite (from the Greek

Greek language

Speleothem

Floor

Limestone

Cave

Solution

Calcium carbonate

The corresponding formation on the ceiling of a cave is known as a stalactite

Stalactite

A stalactite is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling or wall of limestone caves. It is sometimes referred to as dripstone....
. If these formations grow together, the result is known as a column.

When touring caves with stalactites and stalagmites you might be requested to not touch the rock formations. This is generally because the formation is considered to still be growing and forming. Since the rock buildup is formed by minerals solidifying out of the water solution onto the old surface, skin

Skin

The skin is the outer covering of the body, also known as the epidermis. It is the largest organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of epithelial biological tissue, and guards the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and organ s....
oils can disturb where the mineral water will cling, thus affecting the growth of the formation. Oils and dirt from the hands can also stain the formation and change its colour permanently.

Stalagmites can also form in lava tubes, although the mechanism of formation is much different. Stalactites and stalagmites can also form on concrete

Concrete

Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, construction aggregate , water , and Chemistry admixtures....
ceilings and floors, although they form much more rapidly there than in the natural cave

Cave

Stalagmite

See also

External links