Deposition by Groundwater
Dana Desonie, Ph.D.
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Printed: January 4, 2016
AUTHOR
Dana Desonie, Ph.D.
www.ck12.org
C HAPTER
Chapter 1. Deposition by Groundwater
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Deposition by Groundwater
• Describe how groundwater deposits solid materials.
• Describe the features that groundwater deposits.
Where would you look for a spectacular cave like this one?
Groundwater dissolves minerals and rocks into ions. Groundwater deposits those ions into different types of
structures. Limestone caves are the best place to see these structures. Water erodes the cave and it has deposits
structures like stalactites and stalagmites. The cave pictured here is Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.
Cave Deposits
Caves are known for their spectacular mineral structures. Caves are likely to be found in limestone where the
groundwater level has gone down. This exposes the cave and its features. Stalactites are beautiful icicle-like
formations. They form as water containing calcium carbonate drips from the ceiling of a cave. The word "stalactite"
has a "c," and it forms from the ceiling. Stalagmites form as calcium carbonate drips from the ceiling to the floor of
a cave. The stalagmite grow upward. The "g" in "stalagmite" means it forms on the ground. You can see examples
of both stalactites and stalagmites below ( Figure 1.1).
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FIGURE 1.1
Stalactites hang from the ceiling and stalagmites rise from the floor of a
cave. The two together form a column.
If a stalactite and stalagmite join together, they form a column. One of the wonders of visiting a cave is to witness
the beauty of these amazing and strangely captivating structures.
Giant Crystals
Some of the largest, and most beautiful, natural crystals can be found in the Naica mine, in Mexico. These gypsum
crystals were formed over thousands of years. Groundwater that is rich in calcium and sulfur flowed through an
underground cave. Check it out:
• Naica Mine—Gypsum-Selenite at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6drrYFj91Ko (2:40)
MEDIA
Click image to the left or use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/4786
Summary
• Groundwater dissolves minerals and carries the ions in solution.
• Groundwater deposits the material in caves as stalactites, stalagmites, and columns.
• Giant crystals may be found in caves.
Explore More
Use the resource below to answer the questions that follow.
• Earth: The Skinny on Cave Formations at http://news.discovery.com/videos/earth-the-skinny-on-cave-fo
rmations.html (2:03)
MEDIA
Click image to the left or use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/58880
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Chapter 1. Deposition by Groundwater
How does a cave form?
What can cause caves to form?
What is a stalactite? How can you remember what this name describes?
What is a stalagmite?
How does a column form?
Why is it important to watch your step in caves?
Review
1. How does water create depositional features in a cave?
2. What are stalactites, stalagmites, and columns?
3. Where is the groundwater in a cave we can visit?
References
1. Meetu Singal. Stalactites and stalagmites can join to form a column . CC BY 2.0
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