Question

how are stalactities and stalagmites form ?

Answer 1

Stalactite. Stalagmite. Both are pointy formations found in limestone caves: One points up, the other points down. But which is which? One way to remember is that stalactite has a “c” in it, as in “ceiling,” and stalagmite has a “g” in it, as in “ground.”

At least it’s easy to see the difference between stalactites and stalagmites, which are also called dripstone. When water flows down through the ground and into a cave, it dissolves a mineral called calcite (a major building block of limestone) and carries it through cracks in the ceiling. The dripping water leaves behind traces of calcite, which slowly builds up on the ceiling until a stalactite takes shape, hanging down like an icicle