How Stalactites and Stalagmites Form

What are speleothems?

• Cave features formed by the deposition of minerals

• A type of rock found in caves

• A type of plant found in caves

• A type of animal found in caves

Stalactites grow from the ______ of the cave.

• Floor

• Ceiling

• Walls

• Entrance

Stalagmites grow from the ______ of the cave.

• Floor

• Ceiling

• Walls

• Entrance

What happens when calcite is redeposited on cave walls?

• A stalactite is formed

• A stalagmite is formed

• A cave is formed

• A rock is formed

What affects the rate of speleothem growth?

• Temperature and rainfall

• Wind and sunlight

• Soil and plants

• Animals and insects

Caves form most commonly in

• Granite

• Sandstone

• Limestone

• Gneiss

How do stalagmites form?

• From dripping water that leaves minerals on the cave floor

• From the wind blowing sand into piles

• From animals digging in the ground

• From trees growing underground

What are stalagmites?

• Pointy rocks hanging from the ceiling of a cave

• Pointy rocks growing from the floor of a cave

• A type of bird

• A kind of tree

Click on the circle that is on a stalactite.

Which process contributes to the formation of caves?

• Volcanic eruptions

• Glacial melting

• Water erosion

• Wind erosion